Of Gods And Demons
by ToWriteLoveOnAPage
Summary: Sesshoumaru has always hated humans and Kagome...well, she's never really liked him. And now that they've been forced to take on the same journey, they'll have to tolerate each other...Just one catch: don't fall in love. A SessxKag Romance/Adventure
1. Chapter 1: Prelude

DISCLAIMER: I will say this once, because it's annoying to repeat it over and over, but I do not own Inuyasha. I simply use it's characters and make them do the things that I want...that sounds a lot dirtier than I meant it to. Oh well.

* * *

**Author Note:**

Just to say this right off the bat, Sesshoumaru and Kagome don't actually have any interaction for the first couple of chapters, but they will eventually, and then you'll be so sick of the two you can't even think straight.

Okay, I doubt people could ever get enough of Sesshoumaru, but you get my point.

Anyway, enjoy! It starts off a little slow, but I promise there will be plenty of bloodshed, tears, and plot twists soon. And this story takes place after the end of the **television** series (the old ones, not the new ones). So, Kagome is around 16-ish, and if you have any problems about romance between a sixteen year old and someone who is around 19 by human standards, then let me just point out that in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet was only 13. Which is just gross in my opinion, but I think that at sixteen you are allowed to be romantic and such. And in the feudal era woman got married and had kids long before that, just sayin'.

Well, read on.

* * *

Preface:

_Gods do not come to earth very often, but it is said that when they do the world and everyone in it spins just a little faster. Epic wars are fought, valiant heros emerge, and every so often a legend is born. They are stories of impossible battles, of men with strength unrivaled, or shows of courage and cunning the likes of which leave the world in awe._

_But the very best legends are not of bloodshed and warriors, nor are they of intellect and power. No, the very best stories are those that that do not end, the tales of two very different beings brought together in the strange, unbreakable bonds of love._

* * *

Kagome Higurashi was happy; far happier than she had ever been whilst covered in dirt and demon blood, and definitely a great deal happier than any normal girl would be in her situation.

It was a good thing she wasn't a normal girl - at least, she hadn't been for awhile.

There once was a time when she would have been livid over a ruined outfit, yelled at anyone within earshot about how her mother would disown her for destroying yet _another_ uniform, but that time had come and gone about twenty ruined outfits ago. After awhile she just didn't care. Come to think of it, she didn't care about a lot of things anymore, like makeup, or school yard gossip, or prom dates, or the stock market... not that she had ever really cared about that.

To put it lightly, she had found new things to care about.

"Did you see me hit that demon?" the excited school girl said proudly. "Right between the eyes! Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!"

Normally she wasn't one to gloat, but after being chased by an abnormally rank hoard of demons for the past hour, she felt she deserved it. She might have even patted herself on the back, that is, if her hands weren't covered in a mixture of antiseptic and blood. Kagome really didn't want to add _another_ stain to her shirt.

Even though she didn't really care about clean clothes anymore, she didn't exactly enjoy being filthy either.

"A most admirable feat, Lady Kagome," Miroku nodded sagely as he watched her bandage the shallow gash on his arm with tender care. He barely even felt her light touch, a skill he appreciated enough to keep his wandering hand from seeking the tempting backside she presented.

_Later_, he promised his wayward appendage.

"I told you all you needed was a bit of practice, Kagome-chan," Sango smiled, completely oblivious to the monks lecherous thoughts. She scratched a tired Kirara behind the ears as she knelt down next to the girl to inspect the houshi's wound for herself. He cringed as her fingers grazed over the bandage, but she couldn't help but think that it didn't hurt nearly as much as he led on.

Sango rolled her eyes, thanking the gods that his injury was the only one severe enough to require treatment. The battle was more tiring than anything else. It had been sudden and quick, but had proved draining nonetheless.

"Don't you think it was a good shot, Inuyasha?" Sango asked the petulant hanyou.

"Keh, it was okay," Inuyasha mumbled reluctantly.

The truth was, Kagome _had_ been getting better at this whole demon fighting business, her only problem was her lack of sense. She would go charging into battle, hit a few demons, then tiptoe right up to that line bordering mortal peril and death. And of course he was expected to save her, and for some reason, he always did.

"Now, if only you could stay outta trouble I wouldn't have to keep worryin' about you every damn minute," he groused.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Hey! I can't help it if using my powers makes me a little light headed sometimes!" She huffed. It was one thing to summon her powers for a single arrow, but conjuring them in rapid succession was particularly difficult.

But then again, when had her life ever been easy?

_When I was fourteen_... she sighed inwardly. _When I was fourteen things were easy. Sure I was into Hello Kitty just a little more than what was considered strictly sane and had that whole acne thing going on, but at least I never had to wash demon guts out of my hair._

She really wished that demon innards would just stay where they belonged when said demons were slashed to pieces, but things rarely turned out that way. And so, she had resigned herself to watch as Inuyasha killed anything that stepped in his path and hopefully dodge the largest chunks of organic matter that erupted in his wake. She had even managed to become decently adept at exploding a few demons herself... not that this made the whole ordeal any less messy.

This time she had taken down at least five large demons before she ultimately collapsed from exhaustion and Inuyasha had been forced to come to her rescue. She didn't really enjoy passing out and having to be saved, but she hated watching from the side lines when she knew she could help even more.

Kagome sighed as she inspected Miroku's bandage one last time. "It takes a lot out of a girl to fry a demon. Not all of us can have legendary, super-powered swords," she mumbled.

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha said impatiently, dismissing her irritation with a wave of his hand. "Now come on, if we want to find the bastard that sent those goons after us, we better get goin'."

The group stopped what they were doing to give him a collective glare. Kagome was almost positive she could hear the crickets wake, just to chirp for this moment.

"Inuyasha, it is quite late - Do you not think we should make camp and rest awhile?" Sango reasoned. The hanyou answered her with a scowl that clearly showed them all what he thought about 'resting'.

"I believe it is fair to assume that Naraku would not have stayed very long after we defeated his minions," Miroku interjected. "Even if we should attempt to follow him, I believe our efforts will be in vain."

"Yeah, don't you know anything?" Shippou sighed, rolling his eyes. The fox kit shook his head mockingly as Inuyasha twitched in irritation.

"Why you little -"

"Inuyasha, sit," Kagome said quickly before he could injure the boy. She watched as the subjugation beads around his neck pulled him to the earth with a satisfying thud. It was really too late for all of this bickering; she could have been asleep by now! In fact, collapsing on the ground in exhaustion suddenly didn't seem like such a bad idea if it would put an end to this stupid debate.

"What the hell was that for!" he groaned, spitting a rather impressive clump of earth from his mouth.

"For being a pain," she snapped, trying desperately not to laugh at the piece of grass still stuck to his lip. "You know we aren't going to find Naraku so, we might as well get some rest. Besides, I have another test in a few days, and I need you to take me back to the well tomorrow."

Inuyasha bared his teeth and growled. "No way!" He shouted as he jumped to his feet and glared at the girl in utter outrage. "You can't leave now!"

"I can, and I will," she said sternly, crossing her arms across her chest and giving him a harsh look that had his ears flattening against his skull in no time. Every time she needed to go back to her own era he always had something to say about it, and Kagome was getting tired of asking for _permission_ to go home. He didn't _own_ her, she didn't _belong_ to him, and she could do what she pleased whenever she damn well pleased it! Kagome took a deep breath and realized she may have been ranting to herself.

In a slightly more calm and dignified tone she added, "And if you won't take me, Kirara will."

The fire cat mewed in affirmation even as Inuyasha gave it a murderous stare.

"Keh, fine," he said gruffly. He knew she had a point, she hadn't been home in almost three weeks, but he always hoped she might stay just a few extra days if he put up enough fuss. But he assured himself that it was only because they couldn't find the jewel shards without her. Yes, that was the only reason he hated it when she went back. Obviously.

"But," he said, squinting his eyes at her, "you better make it quick, woman!"

Kagome instantly brightened, "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it!"

"And make sure you change," he added. "You smell like a dead body."

_Bright, happy mood gone_, Kagome sighed to herself. "Okay, Inuyasha, I will. Now, why don't you SIT down; you look tired."

THUD.

Inuyasha groaned as the satisfied school girl looked down into the hanyou shaped hole he had made and smirked.

***

Jaken was frustrated. Not in a productive way, as one might find themselves when trying to solve a particularly tricky problem, but in a meaningless, headache inducing, pointless sort of way. Like trying to count the stars. Yes, that was a good comparison. One knows they could never possibly count them all, and there was absolutely no reason to undertake such a task, but still they continued counting.

And that was why he was frustrated, because answering a child's questions was just as pointless as counting those blasted, twinkling dots in the night sky. His task was to watch after the girl, not stuff her full of knowledge on anything that captured her interest. Whether or not her questions were answered was irrelevant to her safety, and her safety was the only aspect of the girl he was required to care about.

_Why me?_ he thought sourly.

Once again his lord had left the annoying human girl in his charge, and he couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit fed up with the whole situation. He really wished that his lord would just melt her and get it over with; he didn't know why he hadn't done so already. She was always in the way and constantly getting herself into trouble that required his lord's attention. Attention which his lord did not like to give to anyone... save for her.

She was just so... irritatingly obtuse. What was it about her that had allowed her into the great Lord Sesshoumaru's good graces? He would surely like to know, seeing as he was barely in them himself.

"Master Jaken! Master Jaken!" the little girl, with eyes just a little too wide, yelled. "Master Jaken, where are we going?"

The green toad grumbled under his breath. Those eyes would be the death of him, he decided. Every time she looked up at him with those big, pleading eyes he found himself unable to ignore the pathetic, ningen child. Perhaps that was what made her so endearing: she hypnotized youkai with her puppy-dog eyes.

"Keep quiet, you wretched girl!" he squawked. "Lord Sesshoumaru has ordered me to have you fitted for a new kimono, since you have nearly outgrown this one. And that requires that we find the nearest village with haste. Now hold your tongue!"

Rin frowned. Holding her tongue was a lot harder than it sounded, but she swore that she would try her best. She knew that Jaken cared for her, even if he yelled and called her names, but he could only take so much of her chatter before he would explode into one of his little fits. So, she stared at the ground as they entered the small village in hopes that she would not see anything that would force a question to escape her lips.

But things rarely turned out as expected when it came to this particular girl, and today was no exception.

"Oh, excuse me, little one," a beautiful, pink haired lady chuckled as Rin walked straight into her long legs. Apparently, not paying attention to where you were going was only an acceptable idea when walking through the vacant forest - not a crowded, youkai village.

Rin stumbled backwards, looking up at the woman in a startled daze.

Jaken turned to tell the girl to stay close and found that she was no longer with him. He felt his shriveled heart beat frantically in his chest before spotting the bothersome child and hurrying to retrieve her.

"Apologies, my lady! The girl is more trouble than she is worth," Jaken groveled to the demoness as he grabbed the blushing girl's arm rather harshly, pulling her to his side. "It will not happen again!"

"It is of no consequence," the lady said kindly as she looked at the girl's obviously stunned expression. "Though, I would be more cautious in the future; not everyone in this village will be so inclined to ignore a human girl - even one as adorable as yourself."

And with that, the lady turned away as Jaken pulled Rin after him, scolding her under his breath. Rin didn't hear a word he said, nor did she notice his painfully tightening grip as the predatory glares of several of the villagers began to follow her small, human form.

No, nothing could distract her, because at that moment, she was concentrating with all of her might on holding her tongue.

The second Rin laid her eyes on the pink-haired lady's round, protruding belly, she had about a million questions that just screamed to be asked.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

So, that was just the beginning. Both Kagome and Jaken find themselves in rather strange situations in the next chapter, and Sesshoumaru thinks Jaken's predicament is particularly amusing, and hopefully you will too lol.

And reviews are much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

**Author Note:**

Okay, so once again, this is kind of just setting up the whole plot of the story so, don't give up on it just because there isn't a lot of action in the first 2 chapters. This is going to probably be an epically long fic, like well over 100,000 words (which is a lot, in case you didn't know), and things need to be established before it can really start. But just to let you know the next chapter is full of action, you just have to read this part first lol.

* * *

"Master Jaken?" Rin said hesitantly. She had been trying to decide how to word her question ever since they left the youkai village. Now that they were all settled around a fire for the night, she knew Jaken would not be able to ignore her, like he so often did whenever she asked him a question requiring a lengthy explanation.

"Yes, Rin?" he said in exasperation.

"I have a question."

Jaken grumbled. _When you do not have a question, let me know so that I might be impressed,_ he thought dryly to himself. He dare not mention such a statement out loud while Lord Sesshoumaru was around unless he wanted a well aimed rock to the head, which he most definitely didn't. For some reason, the taiyoukai was particularly touchy when it came to the belittling of the girl, though the toad could not imagine why. She did not seem affected by it.

"Master Jaken?" She intoned again.

"Well, spit it out," he said disapprovingly, as though she had interrupted him from some great task.

"Rin was wondering... She was wondering, um..." the girl stammered, biting her lip. She needed to approach this carefully if she had any hopes of receiving an answer - and she really, REALLY wanted an answer.

Ever since she had seen the pregnant demoness in the village, Rin had suddenly realized the fact that she had no idea how someone came to be in such a state. She had looked down at her own belly and hoped with all her might that it would not spontaneously begin to grow. The young girl was fairly sure it wouldn't, but she only wanted to make sure.

"Out with it, girl!"

"How are children made?" she said, looking up at him with the round, pleading eyes that she knew he could not turn away from. Rin thought she saw her lord turn his head in her direction, but for once, she had more important things to concentrate on.

Like how Jaken was almost spitting out his tongue.

Lord Sesshoumaru watched the scene unfolding before him with mild interest as he casually leaned against the base of a tree bordering their small camp. His retainer's eyes looked just about on the verge of jumping out of his head, sputtering nonsense and flailing like a drowning man. It was quite amusing, Sesshoumaru decided, though he showed no indication of that opinion. Meanwhile, his ward was looking slightly taken aback, but by no means any less interested in the answer to her question.

_No, she is much too young,_ he concluded. She was much too young to learn of such things and he did not want her innocence destroyed so early. Sesshoumaru was not an expert on the stages of ningen child rearing, but he was positive she had to be a little more... tall-ish, or something, before this particular life lesson was learned.

"Children are creations of the gods, as are all things," Sesshoumaru spoke, interrupting Jaken's fit and Rin's silent pleading.

The young girl turned her head towards him, confusion still evident on her face. "But if the gods created all things, Sesshoumaru-sama, who created the gods?"

Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to Jaken, indicating that he should take over from there. The taiyoukai was not much of a talker, to put it simply, which left story telling out of the question.

"W-well, Rin, listen up, and I will tell you," Jaken stammered. He was extremely grateful that his great lord had decided to spare him from the horrifying task of explaining procreation to the girl. He would gladly tell her _anything_ but that.

Rin nodded and sat at attention, her previous question completely forgotten as Jaken began his tale.

"At the beginning of time, there existed nothing but chaos. It was an ocean of substance without form or order, and from this ocean sprang the original deities of the heavens. These celestial gods and goddesses came in pairs, one a man and one a woman. Both were intended as both siblings and mates. The eighth primordial couple were named Izanagi and Izanami, and the other heavenly gods presented them with a jewelled spear, telling their brother and sister to go forth and create.

"The two deities stood upon the floating bridge of heaven and plunged the spear into the sea of chaos, and when they lifted it, the drops that fell from the end formed the first solid land. Izanagi and Izanami then descended to the earth and became husband and wife. They birthed many children, who became the islands of Japan, and created many gods and goddesses to represent mountains and valleys and all other things.

"And thus the world, and everything in it was born!" Jaken said with satisfaction, crossing his arms imperiously as though his great storytelling skills could bring the very world to its knees.

Rin was less than impressed.

"But what happened after that? What happened to Izanagi and Izanami? Are they still alive? How old are they? Are they older than Lord Sesshoumaru?" she asked in rapid succession. She wanted to know the end of the tale; it seemed unfinished to her.

"I... I am not sure I should tell you the rest," Jaken said uncertainly and looked to his Lord.

Sesshoumaru merely inclined his head, his posture laced with boredom and indifference. He knew the girl would not be able to close her mouth until she learned the rest of the tale, and he was not prepared to listen to Jaken bicker with her for the next few days.

"Y-yes, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken said hastily and then turned back to the girl who was now even more interested in the end of the story. "It is not a happy ending, Rin. It is not meant for children," he warned.

"That is okay, Master Jaken. I am not like other children," she smiled. She had seen death and abuse far too often to be troubled by a simple story like most children her age would be. She learned long ago to be unafraid of the monsters in one's dreams, for there were just as many to be afraid of while awake.

"Very well," Jaken sighed. "Now, Izanagi and Izanami had another child, but things did not go as they had planned. This infant was to become the god of fire. However, Izanami was badly burned as she birthed this young god, resulting in the first true death of this world.

"Izanagi was consumed with grief, and traveled to the underworld to bring his beloved wife back with him. He searched the land he had created until he discovered the entrance to the realm of the dead, but when he finally found Izanami, she told him with a heavy heart that she was fated to remain there and could not go back with him. He begged for her to return with him and so, she told him to wait for her while she went to plead with the gods of death to let her go.

"But after many hours, Izanagi grew impatient in the vacant lands of the dead and followed after his wife. But when he found her, she was not the beautiful woman she once was, but a rotting corpse in the house of the death deities. Not realizing she had merely fallen asleep, he fled from her, and when she awoke she was furious that he had disregarded her orders to wait. She sent hideous female spirits, eight thunder gods, and an army of fierce, undead warriors after him.

"The chasers pursued Izanagi to the edge of the two worlds, but he blocked the path between earth and the underworld with a huge boulder. Izanami met him there and asked why he had ignored her orders, but he was much too angry to answer her. It was then that they broke their marriage ties and parted ways.

"It is said that Izanagi created humans and youkai to fill the emptiness he felt without his mate and that Izanami made it so one thousand of his creations would die each day to join her in the underworld, for she felt empty as well. But Izanagi would not be outdone by his wife, and he made it so fifteen-hundred ningen and youkai were born each day, to replace the ones Izanami would take from him."

Jaken finished his tale with an exhausted sigh and looked to the girl who had been the source of all of this trouble.

She was fast asleep.

He wanted to be angry with her for forcing him to recite the story only to drift off while he told it, but he was much too tired to care.

Sesshoumaru watched as Jaken's bulbous eyes drifted closed and his consciousness slipped away. He had not heard that tale in a very long time, not since his youth when his mother had recited it to him as they walked in her gardens.

He remembered her telling him she thought it was terribly romantic that Izanagi would travel all the way to the underworld to retrieve his wife. Sesshoumaru only thought it ridiculous that a deity would be so weak as to let a female have such power over him. When he told her this, she laughed in her harsh, mocking way, saying that one day he would find a female he would gladly die for if only she asked. She said that it was not wise to call others weak when you were capable of the same weakness yourself.

Sesshoumaru had scowled at her and walked away.

He never much liked talking to his mother; she always gave off an air of one who thought themselves much more knowledgeable than everyone around them, yet had no desire to share their wisdom.

But no matter, she was not right about this. He was not weak, he would never be weak; even for Rin he would not sacrifice his life. Admittedly he would - and had - sustained injuries to protect her, but injuries would heal. Injuries made one stronger. They were not a weakness, simply an inconvenience. The girl might inconvenience him, but she did not make him weak.

Speaking of which, that reminded Sesshoumaru of his most recent train of thought: inconveniences. There had been reports of a rogue youkai bordering his lands to the South. A "maiden snatcher", it had been referred to by a few of his scouts.

Apparently, this youkai sought out the most desirable females in any given area and took her. Whether it intended to devour her or keep her for _other_ purposes was unknown.

Sesshoumaru did not particularly care, but seeing as Rin _was _a female, he felt an obligation to look into it, though he wasn't entirely sure if she fell under the category of 'desirable' for a human (she was quite young, but that did not seem to be a problem for some disgusting creatures).

Her death, after all, would be a particularly unfortunate inconvenience.

And so, tomorrow he would depart and head for the Southern border leaving his ward and his retainer to do... well, whatever it was that a toad and a human girl do, in his absence. The border was not far, maybe a two days' travel if he flew, and as soon as he found this "maiden snatcher" he would melt it into oblivion and return.

Sesshoumaru almost smirked; the prospect of melting things always put him in a good mood.

***

_Something feels weird, _Kagome thought, shifting uncomfortably from her perch on Inuyasha's back. They were close to the well now and she just couldn't shake the feeling that something was not quite normal about the situation.

Not that riding on a half-demon's back as he jumped through the treetops should feel normal by any accounts, but this was different. Something was just... off. Even Inuyasha - who was normally oblivious to such things - noticed her tense state and immediately checked for danger. Kagome was a tough girl, Inuyasha knew, if something was making her nervous it shouldn't be taken lightly.

"What's eatin' you?" he questioned, trying to sound disinterested, but not quite managing to hide the concern in his eyes.

"What? Oh, it's nothing. I just worry about you guys when I go home, I guess," she shrugged. How was she supposed to explain that she suddenly felt like she would rather run back to the others and agree to bare Miroku's children than get any closer to the well? Inuyasha would undoubtedly think she was crazy... and then probably castrate Miroku.

_Silly_ _Inuyasha_, she thought. He was always overprotective like that.

"Keh, that's stupid. We can take care of ourselves better than you can," he said gruffly. He really hated it when she got all _deep _and _caring _on him. He was a man, god dammit! He didn't need her coddling...even if he couldn't deny that some small part of him secretly reveled in it.

Kagome smiled. She knew that in his own brash way, he was only trying to comfort her. _He really does care about me, _she thought absentmindedly.

"I know - I just can't help it," she said softly. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you guys; I love all of you like family."

_And some a little more than family_, she added with a blush as Inuyasha dropped her gently to the ground and walked her to the old well.

"Yeah, well, like I said: You don't need to worry," he mumbled, scratching behind his ear awkwardly and refusing to look her in the eyes. "And don't talk about all that mushy crap; it makes me sick."

"Sure Inuyasha," she smirked and quickly leaned in to give him a brief peck on the cheek. "I'll be back in a few days. Don't follow me, or I'll S-I-T you good!"

The last sight Kagome saw before jumping into the old well was that of her stunned hanyou friend, his hand on the place her lips had just been.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

Okay, the Izanagi/Izanami tale is a real Japanese legend, the only thing that I added was the part at the end about Izanagi creating humans and youkai. The legend did say that Izanami took 1000 lives everyday, but it didn't say why. It also didn't specify that Izanagi created humans and youkai, but I just added that part because it seemed plausible.

So, yeah, if you have any problems with that, whatever, this is a story.

Anyway, next chapter is much more exciting so, keep reading and review!


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

**Author Note:**

Yay, the actual story begins!

* * *

Kagome was falling through oblivion. It had become a familiar feeling, almost comfortable.

But not this time.

No, there was definitely nothing comfortable about this trip. About half way through her journey she thought she was going to be sick, like really, really, turn-your-insides-into-outsides sick. She groaned and grasped her stomach like all good sick people did, and, just when she was sure she was about to lose her lunch, something warm and tickling had guided her safely to the ground she now kneeled upon.

It was... well, she didn't really know what it was, but it definitely made her feel weird. And as a time-traveling, shard-hunting, demon-shooting miko, that was a hard thing to do. But she brushed it off; maybe she had just developed a slight allergy to time travel? That was possible, right? Whatever - she felt fine now.

Kagome held her hand above her brow to protect her eyes from the sun as she took to the ladder and began hoisting herself up. It only took a few moments for her to figure out something was wrong. She didn't even need to reach the top of the well before she made this realization and almost fell back to the bottom.

"The sun!" she gasped. "B-but, the well house is always dark, I shouldn't be able to see the sun!" Kagome started to ascend the ladder again, this time at a more cautious pace. She lifted herself out of the well and met a familiar sight, one that she had _thought _she had just left.

There she was, in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the forest of Inuyasha - still very obviously in the feudal era.

_Okay...what?_ she thought stupidly. This was definitely still the past, but the magic had caught! She had felt it pull her down through time, felt it set her gently back to the ground... What had gone wrong?

"Inuyasha!" she called nervously. "Are you still there?"

No answer.

She was never really sure how long her trips between worlds usually took, it only _seemed_ like a few seconds to her, but since there wasn't exactly a clock in the senguko jidai, she couldn't say for sure. Perhaps she was really falling through time for minutes instead of seconds; who knew? All she _did _know was that this particular time excursion had taken long enough for the hanyou to get well out of hearing range.

_That's just great, _she grumped.

The well was being temperamental and she was feeling increasingly uneasy with this whole situation. She knew she thought she felt something weird before, but why didn't she listen to her instincts?_ Inuyasha is probably half-way back to Sango and Miroku by now_; _he won't be able to hear me. _She sighed._ I guess I'll just have to go and ask Kaede for help. She might know why the well is acting up._

Kagome should've known that life was never that simple, at least not for her. She was just about to head back towards Kaede's village before something caught her attention.

"What now?" Kagome murmured to herself. Something was tickling at her senses. It wasn't a spiritual power or a demonic aura, just... just _something_.

She really wished these feelings she kept getting wouldn't be so impossibly vague. It was starting to get really annoying. And _this _feeling was determined to be especially annoying, it seemed. It felt like a thrumming in her head, like a drum getting gradually louder and more persistent, or like a marching army heading out to war, thousands upon thousands of heavy feet pounding against her skull in unison. Not only did it give her a headache, but a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as well.

She grabbed her bow and nocked an arrow, figuring that even though she was sure this strange force wasn't a demon, not all evil things had to be demons.

And then, everything went quiet. _EVERYTHING._

No more beating in her head, no more birds singing, not even the wind could be heard, though, she could still feel it brush against her skin. And suddenly a blinding white light erupted from the well, bringing with it a power so intense that Kagome nearly fell to her knees. The quiet was no more - her hearing came back full force, but it all sounded like screaming, like every creature ever born on earth was announcing the appearance of the white light.

She stared at the well, hands gripping her bow so tightly she thought it might snap, tears streaming down her face. She vaguely recognized a dark shadow rising from the well in the midst of the strange light, but soon she could not concentrate on it.

Her head was now absolutely pounding, like thunder inside her skull, and she realized that it was the beating of her own heart. Instinctively she let loose her arrow before dropping her bow and clutching at her ribs. Her heart was beating so rapidly, as if it were trying to jump out of her chest. Her thundering heart, the screaming that seemed to be dying, the blinding light that was beginning to fade, it was all too much. Kagome stumbled back and collapsed onto the ground in a helpless heap.

Meanwhile, a very grand, very beautiful man was perched on the lip of the well, looking at the arrow in his chest with interest.

"That hurt," he said as though amazed by this revelation. He cracked an amused smile and pulled it out, inspecting it briefly before it disintegrated beneath his fingers. Kagome drew a shaky breath and opened her streaming eyes. As her heart finally began to calm down, she knew she had to get up if she had any hope of escaping from this horrifyingly powerful being.

But the sight that she met nearly took her breath away... again.

The man was unlike anything she had ever seen. He was as pale as the moon and had long, waist-length hair that fell in a perfect plait over his shoulder. The sleek, silky strands at first appeared jet black, but as he moved, they shone with a strange incandescence, like oil on water. And his eyes were the darkest of blues, like the midnight sky without a moon.

Quite simply, he was beautiful.

"You," he said with an amused smirk still on his perfect face, "should be dead."

"Um, s-sorry?" she said unsurely as she lifted herself into a sitting position and rubbed her throbbing head. She had no idea who this strange creature was, but she was pretty sure he wouldn't spend time chit-chatting if he truly wanted her dead. And if she was wrong, well, at least he was nice to look at.

"And you shot me," he chuckled. "I will have you know I have not been shot in eight hundred years... I don't remember it hurting quite as much as this, but what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, eh? Or at least that is what I have heard," he babbled, talking as much to himself as he was to the girl at his feet. "Now, come on. Get up."

Kagome gave him a strange look, but struggled to her feet nonetheless. His dark eyes followed her as she moved and she wrapped her arms across her chest, suddenly feeling very exposed in the presence of such a regal looking being.

"Uh, not to be rude or anything, but who the heck are you, and why did you think I should be dead?"

The man chuckled in a deep, infectious way that seemed to seep into her very soul and warm her from the inside out.

"I have many names, girl. I am sure you will find one for me soon enough. Now, as for why you should be dead," he said conversationally, as though they were simply discussing the weather, or the price of fish at the market, "it is simple: No one has ever witnessed a god coming to earth and lived to tell the tale. Their hearts usually explode within their chests, or they simply melt into an unpleasant sort of goo. That one is particularly unfortunate... and messy."

The man frowned as he remembered the countless piles of sludge he had often found upon his arrivals. He was quite glad he did not have to deal with that this time. Not to mention what a tragedy it would have been to reduce such a beautiful girl into a lump of mushy body parts. Yes, most unfortunate... and wasteful.

Kagome gaped at the man who now seemed to be completely absorbed in his own thoughts, like he had forgotten she was even there. "A-a _god_?" she stammered with wide eyes as she looked more closely at the creature standing before her.

Things she had previously overlooked now drew her attention like they had been screaming her name. His elegant kimono with silver thread embroidered along the hems, the cape of shining grey fur that hung casually over one shoulder; the silver breastplate and armour that encased his muscular form. He certainly _looked _the part of a god, but Kagome was expectedly disbelieving.

He shook his head slightly as she roused him from his daydreams. "Yes, I am surprised a miko such as yourself did not figure this out on your own..." he trailed off thoughtfully as his narrowing eyes ran up and down her body. "But you are not an ordinary priestess, are you?"

Kagome could only shake her head stupidly.

"That is what I thought," he mumbled, jumping down from the well gracefully as he began to circle her, like a merchant observing a particularly fine commodity. She blushed as he leaned in to sniff at her ever so delicately and she fervently hoped that she didn't smell quite as much like a woman covered in demon guts as she did last night.

"Hey! I'm not a piece of meat on display, ya know! Keep your eyes to yourself!" She huffed and turned around to face him. She had the strangest feeling his eyes had wandered to places where they probably shouldn't have.

He simply shrugged, unashamed. "I am a god, child. I may do as I please," he told her, but did not continue his inspection. "And if you do not wish to be looked upon, perhaps you should not provide such a view."

"You're kind of a jerk," Kagome mumbled and subconsciously pulled her skirt down just a little farther, "even if you are really a god."

The man arched a brow, "You doubt me?"

"I once met a water _god_," she said, making air quotes around the word. "Turns out he was just some creepy snake with ambition problems. Excuse me for being a little skeptical."

"I see," he chuckled at the girl's bold and fiery manner. Most creatures would be groveling at his feet by now, asking him to bless their families and lands, or whatever other ridiculous thing they desired. But this girl was different, and yet, she was familiar. She reminded him very much of someone he had not thought about for quite some time...

"Well," Kagome said uneasily as she began backing up towards her bag. The man's eyes had suddenly taken a sort of predatory gleam and she did not like it one bit. She had seen it far too many times on a certain monk's face as he leered after whatever beautiful girl that happened to be within grabbing distance. "I really should be getting back to my friends now. It was nice meeting you."

"No, you will stay here," he said commandingly and then paused as if deciding something. His eyes slid to the sky as he absentmindedly rubbed his chin with his finger. "You shall be my wife," he finally concluded with a satisfied nod as his eyes refocused on her and his hand dropped to his side.

"Wha-?" Kagome gasped. "Oh no, you've got the wrong idea! I can't be your wife!"

The man growled and the earth beneath her feet quaked with his displeasure. "You dare deny a god?"

The miko gulped down her fear and clenched her fists against it. "Of course! We've barely known each other for five minutes and you want me to MARRY you? Why would you think I would be okay with that? I don't even know your name for crying out loud!"

"You would be the wife of a god, girl, you would have all that you desire and more. It is a privilege many women would die for."

"Well, why don't you ask one of those women then?" she said determinedly as she bent over to grab her bag, slowing backing away from him. She knew it was useless; obviously the big joke that was her life would not be complete until she was kidnapped by a hentai god. She should have expected it, really.

"No, I wish to have you," he shrugged and before Kagome could even realize he had disappeared, she was thrown over his shoulder like a sack of rice. "And I will never again be denied what I want."

And with that he rose into the sky.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

So, any guesses as to who the heck that guy was? I'm sure you probably know, but hey, maybe not. Anyway, I've drawn my interpretation of what I thought Izanagi would look like and posted it on deviant art. If you want to see it go here:

**LINK TO IZANAGI PICTURE**: http:// ToWriteLoveOnAPage. deviantart .com /art/Izanagi-120599331

(Just take out the spaces).


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Author's note:**

So, Kagome was kidnapped. Kinda sucks for her, but hey, at least she doesn't have to take her test. Anyway, here's chapter 4, enjoy!

* * *

Kagome was pissed. She was beyond angry, past furious, and teetering on the edge of livid. She wanted to scream, and break things, and set stuff on fire. More accurately, she wanted to set _him_ on fire.

_Yeah, arson! _she mentally cheered. Too bad he was a god, and therefore probably fireproof. _Damn_.

As she watched the clouds fly past her head, she pondered briefly what she had done to make her life so incredibly complicated. Maybe the gods were particularly angry when they planned her fate. Yes, that must have been it. They had been out partying all night and drunk their entire sake stores dry. And when they woke up, their whole temple was trashed, someone threw up in the rare, potted jade tree and killed it, and no one could find the aspirin. Yup, her fate must have been the result of a god-sized hangover - that was the only way to explain it.

Except that she had been kidnapped by a god, which meant... Well, heck if she knew what it meant, but it was giving her a massive headache.

_Okay, let's review, _Kagome thought to herself. _One: I met a god. Okay, that was pretty weird, but also kinda cool. Two: I was kidnapped by said god. Not so cool. Three... uh... Escape? Yeah, that sounds about right, I've got to figure out how to escape._

Kagome looked around hopefully, finding nothing but the extremely attractive bastard who was holding her captive, and the ground, which was currently several thousand feet beneath them. Neither was exactly helpful unless her escape plan ended with her going _splat_ and making a rather unsightly mess of her internal organs. And she _liked _her internal organs. They were helpful and productive and most importantly they were _internal. _No, it would definitely not due to have them splattered all over a two mile radius.

"Hey, you," she said testily and flicked her captor's ear. He flinched and then looked at her with a slightly disgusted look.

"Did you just _flick _me?" he said in disbelief.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yes, now, listened up! You better put me down because it's getting cold up here and _you _might be impervious to frost bite, but I'm certainly not!"

"Do not fret, we will arrive shortly," he said dismissively. He wasn't sure what 'frostbite' was exactly, but nothing seemed to be attacking the girl so, he figured it was not an urgent issue.

"Who's fretting? I'm just being kidnapped and dragged across the sky! Nope, nothing to fret about," she said, her voice on the verge of hysterics.

It registered somewhere in her mind that she should probably be screaming; that's what all helpless damsels did, right? But she just couldn't really see how that would help matters besides possibly getting herself dropped. Why was it that girls always screamed their heads off whenever they were in trouble? It seemed kind of ridiculous now that she thought about it.

But Kagome's pondering soon evaporated as she felt her carrier start to descend. She looked over her shoulder and saw... possibly the weirdest, strangest, most spectacular thing she had ever seen. There, amongst the clouds was a palace that looked as though it were made of pure silver. A palace. Floating in the sky. Sitting softly and subtly on a cloud. Looking very serene and completely impossible.

_Oh, I've gone insane, _she thought blankly. _That explains a lot._

Kagome shrugged her shoulders and decided to enjoy the convoluted fantasy of her sick, sick mind, seeing as it had obviously gone through the trouble of conjuring up the strange idea.

There, on the wall of the silver, imaginary palace, stood dozens of bird-like men, each carrying silver spears that glittered in the sun. She thought it was all kind of superfluous seeing as no one would be able to attack a castle in the sky, and mentally chided her brain for wasting precious energy in making such pointless images. She scowled at them while they stood at attention as the silver gates they needlessly guarded swung open. Again Kagome thought that was a little over the top since her mind could've just had them fly over the wall instead.

In fact, this whole thing seemed far too complex for her mind to think up. She was never terribly imaginative, and thinking up something like _this _would definitely require an impressive imagination. Maybe... Just maybe this was real?

_Oh god, I think it is! _she thought hysterically, her eyes going wide as saucers.

"Welcome to your home," her captor smirked at the dumbfounded look on the girl's face. "How do you like it?"

Kagome shook herself out of her _this-is-a-real-silver-palace_ induced trance, and closed her gaping mouth. "It's okay, I've seen better," she said defiantly, doing her best impression of someone completely unfazed.

He frowned at her lack of enthusiasm, but set her down gently upon the clouds as they landed effortlessly in front of his mansion.

"Hm, perhaps I should have made it out of gold instead..." he mused absentmindedly.

The young miko had the strangest urge pull out her own hair and start screaming.

"No, matter," he finally announced. "Some of my servants shall take you to your chambers to prepare for dinner. We will discuss our marriage then." And with that he turned on his heel and disappeared into the palace as a pair of beautiful bird-women rushed over to assist her.

"Our master has not had company in quite some time," the first one spoke loudly. Her body was tanned and petite, and her short, dark hair was not hair at all, but hundreds of shining feathers.

If Kagome had been asked, she would have said the girl looked like a hawk.

"No, this is quite a surprise, quite a surprise indeed," the other cooed softly. This woman was tall, though still slender, and was almost as pale as the clouds themselves. Her feathered hair was snow white and reached nearly to her feet - a swan, no doubt.

They both wore deep blue kimonos of the finest silk, as did the guards, and she assumed the rest of the servants did as well. An assumption which proved true as she was led through the magnificent palace and passed by many curious looking bird men and women. They wore the same, blue kimonos and all had sharp pointed noses and long, slender limbs that left Kagome with the vague suspicion that they had not always been in their current, human looking forms.

Her two assistants, who had introduced themselves as Taka and Hakuchou, led her to the most lavish room she had ever seen. The inside walls were still made of silver, but with beautiful battle scenes and other artworks etched into their surface. The furniture was the darkest of woods, and the coverings on the huge bed in the middle of the room were the palest of blue silks.

Kagome was starting to think the god had an unhealthy obsession with the color blue.

"Our great master has ordered us to prepare you for dinner," Taka said bluntly and began pulling out an assortment of gorgeous and complicated looking garments from the wardrobe at the far end of the room. Kagome almost told them that she could dress herself thank-you-very-much, but somehow she doubted they would listen.

"Come, our most honored guest. I will escort you to the bath house," Hakuchou said in her quiet, elegant manner as she threw a distasteful look towards Taka. Apparently the swan took issue with the hawk's bold manner.

"Um, okay," Kagome shrugged, she was a little overwhelmed at the moment, but a nice hot bath was too good to pass up. Plus, what else could she do? Find the nearest exit and jump off the edge of a cloud? That plan didn't seem very beneficial to anyone. "And my name is Kagome, by the way," she added as she followed after the graceful woman.

Hakuchou merely turned her sharp, golden, bird eyes to her and nodded minutely. Kagome gave her a small, nervous smile and decided to look ahead of her instead of at the woman by her side. Hakuchou was just too... demur, for Kagome's tastes. She preferred Taka's brash, almost aggressive approach to things. At least then Kagome knew what to expect... sort of.

***

One bath and two vigorous servants fussing about her with silk wrappings and ivory combs later, she was ready for dinner. Well, _they _had said she was ready for dinner, but _she _felt like they might as well attach a sail to her and cast off for the Americas.

_I feel like a boat, _she groaned as she looked down at her elegantly clothed form. She could hardly breathe in all of her layers, and her hair was pulled into such a complicated style that she could barely move her head. She knew she probably looked pretty good, but she really didn't think that all this was worth it. Plus, she was having a hard time breathing. They had tied her obi so tight she was sure her intestines would never be the same again.

"Lady Kagome, you are a vision," Taka said appreciatively as they paused outside of what Kagome assumed must be the dinning room. Both of the women, though at first seemingly unfriendly towards each other, had taken quite a collected interest in her outfit. Kagome suspected that being a servant in a floating palace was probably dreadfully uneventful and that she had been acting as the only entertainment they had seen for quite some time.

_That's me, _Kagome thought drearily. _Kagome Higurashi: Dress up doll extraordinaire._

Hakuchou rolled her heavily lashed eyes. "Taka, do not ruffle your own feathers. It is hardly befitting of someone of your station."

Taka glared right back at her. "I was simply admiring the fruits of our labor," she said gesturing to Kagome's outfit. "We do not have guests often."

"It is a good thing too, for you would surely scare the majority of them away," Hakuchou mumbled under her breath as she opened the shoji screen for Kagome and ushered her inside. The screen closed behind her, but she could still hear the two women bickering all the way down the hall.

"Are they always like that?" Kagome chuckled as she turned to face her captor. Her laughter faded as she took in the shocked look on the man's face. "What?"

The god did not hear her; he was much too preoccupied with staring at the gorgeous young woman in front of him. She was simply, but beautifully, outfitted in outer layers of white and indigo silk, and a violet, inner kimono that transitioned from light to dark as the fabric cascaded down towards the floor. It was patterned with indigo butterflies and tied with a silk obi of the same color around her slim waist.

Her silky, black hair that shined with an almost blue tint in the sunlight was twisted back into an extensive arrangement and held together between two, fine ivory combs. He had the almost irresistible urge to pull those combs from her head and watch that hair fan out behind her as he tackled her to the floor.

"Hellooooo? Earth to god," Kagome said, waving her hand in front of his face and bringing him out of his unwholesome thoughts with a start. "You know, you're kind of dense. Are you _sure_ you're a god?" She asked, arching a brow and putting her hands on her hips.

He scowled. "Of course I am, woman. Do you not see where I have brought you? Who else but a god could call such a place home?"

Kagome scowled right back at him. "Fine, if you say so. And it's Kagome. Ka-go-me. Not 'woman', or 'girl', or 'you'."

"Your name is of little consequence," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Now come - we dine." He motioned for her to sit on the silk floor pillow next to him as a table laden while the most delicious foods she had ever seen appeared out of thin air.

She resisted the urge to drool, settling on frowning at him instead. "I don't think so, mister! How about telling me what the heck is going on! Why did you come out of _my _well? Were you the one that made it malfunction?" she said suspiciously.

"_Your_ well? Girl, that well was created centuries ago by myself after the bridge of the heavens crumbled. It is how I traverse to this world," he explained. "I was not aware that any mortal used its magic."

He motioned for her to sit again, but she ignored him.

"Uh, yeah, it kinda lets me travel between this time and a time 500 years in the future," she said, scratching her head in confusion. _The bone eater's well was made by a god? Huh, guess I should've swept the well house more often when Ji-Ji told me to._

"Hm, that _is_ very strange, but quite interesting," he said with an amused air, sticking a dumpling in his mouth.

Kagome had a feeling that the world would probably have to spontaneously burst into purple flames to impress this man. Most people gaped at her when she told them she was from the future, but he just acted like they were discussing their favorite teas.

_My favorite tea? Why, it's jasmine. No, thank you, I've had enough dumplings. Oh, and by the way, I'm from the future._

The god finished chewing and returned his attention to her. "And as for why the well was 'malfunctioning', perhaps it could not complete two journeys at once and found mine to be more important," he shrugged.

Kagome huffed in indignation. Saving the past from a crazed, evil hanyou? No, that wasn't important, definitely not.

"Why did you come to earth anyway? Don't gods have better things to do than mingle with common mortals?"

Her captor gave her a sour look. "The heavens are not as exciting as one would think. My brothers and sisters are always dancing about the stars like fools, but one cannot dance alone," he said and then turned to her and smiled widely, displaying his pearl-white teeth. "But soon, you and I will join them. You will waltz among the constellations at my side!"

Kagome laughed nervously and took a step back. Visions of her being sucked into a black hole, or burned by a passing comet, or suffocated in space passed through her head. "Uh, that sounds great, but I think I'll pass."

His mood once again turned sour and Kagome had to wonder if gods could contract some sort of bipolar disorder. "It is no matter. They would undoubtedly not allow us to join them for very long. I am the youngest brother and because of this they seem to think it appropriate that I take care of all the work they are too lazy to do themselves," he sulked. "'_Fix our hair dear brother' 'Play us a tune dear brother' 'Create the world dear brother' - _they never shut up!"

_'Create the world...'_

"Oh! Oh, oh, oh!" Kagome suddenly gasped with realization. "You're not just _a _god, you're _the _god. The father of all kami!" She gasped and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're Izanagi!"

She knew the story of the god word for word. Her mother used to tell her it before bedtime almost every night because it was her favorite. She had thought it such a beautifully tragic love story.

"Do not tell me you are finally impressed," he said dryly and rolled his eyes. He takes her to a silver palace in the sky, but she shows more emotion at learning his name. What a strange creature.

"But then that settles it! I can't marry you - you already have a wife!"

The god growled fiercely, causing Kagome to shy away in surprise and fear. "I have not had a wife in many centuries! Do not speak of that wretched woman again!" he said in a thunderous voice that caused the palace to shake and the room to darken as though even the sun was hiding from his anger.

But Kagome-after recovering herself-only smirked. She knew that angry tone; Inuyasha often used it when he was trying to be "manly" and hide his emotions, though his little tantrums were admittedly less impressive than Izanagi's.

"You still love her, don't you?" Kagome asked gently. "That's why you took me, because I remind you of her."

The god gave her a harsh look that had broken many a fierce warrior into quivering children, but upon finding that it had no effect on the girl, he did the only other thing he could think to do: he crossed his arms and turned away from her like a pouting child.

She was right, of course. The young miko's bold behavior and quick temper had reminded him very much of his Izanami. Even now, as she tried to comfort him, he was reminded of the woman who could be both a raging storm and a gentle rain in a moment's notice.

"But I can never replace her, you know that," she said softly, finally kneeling by his side and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you just apologize to her? I'm sure she misses you just as much as you do her."

Izanagi batted her hand away impatiently. "I will not grovel at her feet! It would be disgraceful. Besides, she is the one that sent her minions after me simply because I could not stand to be apart from her any longer and followed after her!"

"Well, did you ever tell her that was why you went after her against her wishes?" Kagome said in exasperation.

Izanagi shifted uncomfortably and lowered his eyes to the floor. "No... But I should not have to! She sent her warriors after me without pause; she dishonored me and our marriage bond!"

Kagome had to control the urge to roll her eyes. Men and their egos were just so... stupid.

"Maybe you're both equally to blame!" she exclaimed.

"Her offense is much greater than mine. _She_ should apologize," he said stubbornly.

"You know... my mother always said that admitting you're wrong takes a bigger man than insisting you are right," Kagome said sagely. The god just turned his head towards her and lifted a brow haughtily.

_What a snob!_ She wanted to stick her tongue out at him.

"What I'm trying to say is," she continued, rolling her eyes at his _holier than thou_, attitude, "suck it up and be a man! If you can't beat down your stupid pride for the woman you love, then you don't deserve her anyway."

He lifted his lip as if to growl at her again, but let it fall as he slumped in defeat. "But even if I do wish to speak with her, the gate to the underworld is surely still guarded by her minions. I will not be able to get past them."

"Wait, aren't you a GOD? Can't you defeat... well, everyone?" she asked in disbelief. She was pretty sure that's what being a god meant: being all-powerful and such.

He gave her a cold stare that clearly told her he did not appreciate the fact that she was forcing him to admit his weaknesses. "I am a _living_ god, I can only defeat creatures of this realm and other gods. But she has sent spirits, thunder gods, and fierce, undead warriors after me. I will only be able to destroy the thunder gods, but the others will fight me for all eternity. I would not fall to them, but I would never get past them either."

Kagome thought about what he said and supposed that it made sense... Well, as much as any of this made sense anyway, which wasn't a lot.

"What if I help you?" she finally said. "I'll help you get to Izanami if you'll release me from this ridiculous marriage thing. After all, I _am_ a miko. I bet I could fight the female spirits. I mean, I _do_ have spiritual powers."

"And the undead warriors? Miko have power over spirits - dead souls, not dead bodies," he pointed out.

_Crap, _she swore inwardly. How were they supposed to fight the undead? _Maybe Kagura's dance of the dead? No, she would never help, but who else then? Who can take on the force of the underworld and triumph?_

She had only known one being to truly beat death-and that was Rin-but it was Tenseiga that had brought her back to life, not her own powers... but wait!

That was it! Why didn't she think of it sooner?

Kagome smiled wickedly as she turned back to the now apprehensive looking god. "Izanagi, how do you feel about threatening pompous, inuyoukai lords?"

Izanagi didn't really know where the girl was going with this, but he was quite intrigued by her sudden mischievousness. "I don't believe I have any objections on the matter."

Kagome clapped her hands together excitedly. "Good."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

Yay, and so, Sesshoumaru comes into play. And in case you were wondering, Taka means hawk and Hakuchou means swan. Yeah, I'm brilliantly clever like that.

Any questions?

Anyway, reviews make my day!


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

**Author's Note:**

Kagome and Sesshoumaru finally meet, woohoo.

* * *

The dawn was breaking over the horizon, spreading the pinks and oranges of the morning sky across the land. There was a gentle breeze that blew through the long, summer grass, making the dew sparking just as pink and orange as the sky. It gave everything a warm glow, a sense of serenity.

Sesshoumaru scowled.

It was not his surroundings that made him scowl, but the uneasy feeling that had suddenly settled in his gut. It was not a feeling he had often, nor one that he enjoyed, but it was undoubtedly what he felt at this particular moment. He could not hear anything unusual, could not see anything unusual, nor could he smell anything unusual, but something _was _amiss. He just knew. It was a strange prickling at the back of his neck, an abnormal tingling of his senses.

He was being watched.

Meanwhile, the inuyoukai's observers were hovering in the air just out of sight of their prey. "You're sure he can't hear or smell us," Kagome whispered nervously as she clung to her godly companion. He had allowed her to hang onto his arm for their trip instead of being thrown over his shoulder like a pack.

"Of course not, I am a god, I can turn you into a rock if I wished. Do you not think I would be able to do something as simple as hide our pr esence from this inferior being?"

Kagome had come to realize that for a god, Izanagi was awfully...fickle. He seemed content to be imposing and arrogant one minute, pouting and grumbling another, and when all else failed, he would crack some wise-ass joke. Very un-godlike behavior in Kagome's opinion, but perhaps that was what it meant to be a god - to have so much power that you could choose whichever emotion you wanted and not care about the consequences.

Well, Kagome wasn't quite that expressive, but she _was_ a little irritated. She rolled her eyes, something she seemed to do a lot in his presence, and threw another dubious look towards the dog demon. He was still walking, looking bored and impeccably clean like always, and didn't _look_ like he noticed them.

Kagome still wasn't convinced.

"It doesn't seem so simple to me," she muttered. "And I wouldn't call him inferior to his face if I were you, he's a little... touchy sometimes."

_If by touchy you mean prone to fits of murderous rage, that is, _Kagome mentally added.

"I could turn _him_ into a rock as well," he said scathingly, as though insulted by the very idea of having to be polite to another creature.

"Yeah, yeah, you're all powerful, whatever," she groused. "All I'm saying is that when he goes all _crazy-psycho-killer_, I'm the one that'll end up running for my life. And I don't _like _running for my life."

"You don't? How strange," he smirked.

"Oh, stuff it."

"I will do no such thing," he grinned even wider at the miko, who narrowed her eyes into an icy glare.

_I am so not a morning person, _she noted to herself as she continued to level her icy stare at the god.

He cleared his throat and looked away, forcing his expression into a serious one. The look that she had given him, though he would never admit it, chilled him to the bone. She was quite terrifying when she was mad.

_She must be a hell cat in bed_, he mused.

No, the whole point of this was to reunite him with his wife, he should not be thinking such thoughts...however badly he wanted to. "Now, I think we've let him walk long enough, let's get this over with shall we?" He said brightly, forcing himself away from his fantasies.

"Wait, will you do something for me, please?" She pleaded, her previous sour mood all but forgotten as she clasped her hands in front of her like a beggar and pouted out her lower lip. Her wide, brown eyes reminding him of innocence and beauty and all things delicately feminine.

He couldn't refuse even if he wished, and that look she was giving him was definitely not helping to purify his thoughts.

"What is it that you desire?" He said, trying to sound disapproving, but only succeeding in sounding slightly less entranced than he felt. What was it with men of power and their inhibiting affliction with females? He should rid the world of their bothersome presence... he would put it on his to do list.

Kagome smiled wickedly, her eyes no longer looking innocent, but positively devious. Ah, now _that_ was a look he could appreciate.

"Scare the crap out of him," she grinned. "The guy once tried to melt me, he's long overdue for some payback."

Izanagi gave the girl an amused look and nodded his head. "As you wish."

"Really? Thanks!" She squealed and clapped her hands excitedly before turning back to the god with a sheepish grin. "Just, uh...don't let him kill me, okay? He's about as agreeable as an angry cat and I wouldn't put it past him to try and take off my head when he finds out I had some part in this."

"I will not let him harm my future bride," he said indignantly.

"Okay, good, " she said and then added as an afterthought, "and I'm not your future bride anymore, remember?"

"That depends on the success of this plan of yours, my lady," he pointed out.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. This is going to work, I can just feel it."

"Oh, if you're so sure..." he said dryly, his voice dripping with so much sarcasm Kagome was tempted to tell him to get a bucket.

But she didn't. Because she had already jumped out of his arms and landed unceremoniously on the ground in front of the youkai lord, falling on her butt with a squeak of surprise. And then she was not only laying on the ground, but being held there as well. By a clawed hand. A clawed hand grasping her throat.

"...can't...breath..." she wheezed.

Sesshoumaru simply stared down at her with a look of mild distaste.

"I would let her go if I were you," Izanagi's more than welcome voice said as he magically appeared at the youkai lord's side, looking down at Kagome with a slight frown as though observing an injured kitten. "I believe humans need air to continue living."

And suddenly Kagome could breath again. _Air! Glorious air!_ She celebrated in her head as her mouth was too busy gasping to celebrate out loud.

"Hn," was Sesshoumaru's only response as he released the priestess. That was one of many disadvantages to having only one arm: you couldn't strangle the life out of two people at once. And now there were _two _people with him, though, he still wasn't quite sure how either of them had got there.

_She_ had dropped from the sky without warning, as if she had just all of a sudden blinked into existence and fallen at his feet. He had not sensed her miko powers, nor smelled her vile human scent, he hadn't even heard her approach. But the second creature..._he_ had casually materialized right beside the inuyoukai, arriving with a power so vast that it nearly burned him to be near it.

Something strange was going on, and though Sesshoumaru detested anything mundane, he loathed not being in the know even more. He was always the one with the answers and the solutions, never the questions. So, he narrowed his eyes and waited for the world to drop down at his feet and explain itself. As it should.

Kagome, meanwhile, was rubbing her abused throat tenderly. "You tried to kill me! Again!" She yelled at the dog demon and then rounded on Izanagi without missing a beat. "And _you_ could've gotten here a little quicker!"

"You are not dead, do not whine," he shrugged.

She growled at him before turning her fiery eyes back to Sesshoumaru, waiting for his explanation.

He remained silent.

_What a jerk_, she thought viciously. _He's not even going to say anything! Not even a 'sorry I just tried to crush your throat' or a 'whoops, my bad'. Nope, nothing!_

"Fine!" She huffed, scrambling to her feet and brushing off her backside. "You two are impossible! You deserve each other!"

Sesshoumaru gave her a withering glare, vaguely recognizing her as the obnoxious wench that always trailed after his filthy half-brother. He remembered - with a slight pang of irritation - that he _had_, in fact, attempted to slay her on a few occasions before this particular meeting. Something which irked him, to say the least. Usually when he set his mind on killing someone, they died. No questions asked. But not this miko... he wondered how such a weak human could manage such luck.

"Kagome, that is quite enough," Izanagi said sternly and placed a hand on her small, silk clad shoulder. His servants had taken quite a liking to using the girl as their own personal canvas and she had begrudgingly allowed them to outfit her with several yukatas and kimonos, though, she insisted on keeping that putrid bag of hers.

Of course, he didn't mind too much, it didn't really distract from the view on a whole. The yukata she now wore was nearly as short as her previous garments had been, and the neckline was unusually revealing. The doing of his servants no doubt.

He would have to give them a raise, well, he would...if he paid them anything to start with.

Wait. His thoughts were straying into dangerous territory again, he best get this moving or he would end up doing something...unwholesome.

"Now, Lord Sesshoumaru," he said commandingly as he willed the clouds to darken above them and the wind to pick up an unnatural fury. He had not forgotten his promise to 'scare the crap out of him' as Kagome has so elegantly put it. "I, Izanagi, creator of worlds, master of all that you see, require your services!"

Thunder boomed overhead as hair and leaves were thrown every which way in the crazed wind storm. Sesshoumaru eyed the strange weather and the man that seemed to be controlling it with an air of...mild curiosity. There was no doubt this man was a god, though, Sesshoumaru found his choice of company rather disappointing for a being that was even more powerful than he. What was it about the strange miko that seemed to attract such unusual company?

"What is it that you ask of me?" He responded. His lack of emotion seemed to deflate the godly being before him and the winds began to die as the clouds once again turned docile.

"Oh," Izanagi said rather anticlimactically. He was sure that would have at least had _some _effect on the taiyoukai, but the stubborn beast seemed more likely to yawn at his antics, than to yell. "This miko tells me you wield a sword with the power to slay the undead, a power I find myself in need of."

Sesshoumaru raised an annoyed brow at the young girl who laughed nervously. So, this was her fault? He would skin her.

"Yeah, and you're not allowed to kill me because he needs me too," she added as though reading his mind. "We've got to travel to the underworld and slay the minions his, er, wife sent after him. I'm sure you know the tale?"

Sesshoumaru gave her a cold stare, but otherwise ignored her. He had no desire to mention the irony of encountering this particular god only a day after he had revisited Izanagi's tale.

"So, what say you?" Izanagi demanded. "Either agree to aid in my quest, or face an unpleasant death. I'll pull your bones from your body one by one, or something to that effect," he added unnecessarily after a second's thought.

Sesshoumaru did not revel in the idea of being threatened and told what to do, but he also knew that when a god asked you for something, you did not refuse. "You have my sword at your disposal," he said in a tired sort of way, as though this kind of thing happened to him all the time and it was growing tedious.

"Alright, it is settled then," the god said happily. "Now, off you two go, come back when you have the spear," he said, making a shooing motion at the pair of them.

"Uh...what?" Kagome said stupidly as he pushed her towards the dog demon. She quickly adjusted her course so that she would not run into Sesshoumaru, and turned to face her assailant.

He was looking at his nails.

She cleared her throat and his head snapped up to meet her thoroughly confused expression. "Oh, did I forget to mention that?" He said more to himself than anyone else. "Yes, you two must go find my famed, jeweled spear of legend before we can go to battle. I cannot fight eight thunder gods without my weapon."

"Uh...WHAT?" Kagome repeated a little more frantically. Was he serious? She was supposed to travel with Sesshoumaru? ALONE? "Aren't _you_ supposed to have the spear?" She nearly yelled.

The god shifted uncomfortably and turned away from her. "Well, it's a funny story, actually. You see, there was this tortoise and this hare, and my eldest brother told me that he would bet his summer palace that the tortoise could outrace the hare. So, naturally I took the bet; who had ever heard of a tortoise outrunning a hare? But it turns out that the hare was quite fond of naps and the tortoise was exceptionally motivated..."

"You bet the spear, didn't you? You bet the spear and you lost, _didn't_ you?" Kagome said through clenched teeth.

Izanagi backed away from the seething girl with a defensive look in his eyes. "I couldn't very well pass up a chance at my brother's palace! It's under the sea, girl, under the sea!"

Kagome was about to shoot him with another one of her arrows only to realize that she had left them back at the well when he had almost scared her to death. So, she bent down to pick up a rock and threw it at his head.

Sesshoumaru watched placidly as the god turned the rock into a harmless butterfly and gave the girl an apologetic look. What power did she have over a god for him to actually be repentant towards her? Surely she was a curiosity.

"Where are we to find this spear?" The taiyoukai decided to ask, seeing as the miko was too busy looking for more rocks to be of any help whatsoever.

"I believe my brother gave it to a rather powerful demon lord, saying something about the havoc the lord would reek with such a weapon would entertain him for centuries. He always was my least favorite brother, has a nasty streak a hundred miles wide," he said conversationally as another rock aimed at his chest grew feathers and flew off in the form of a sparrow.

Sesshoumaru nodded, ignoring the miko's indignant curses as the god continued to avoid her wrath. He knew exactly whom the elder god had given the spear to, it surely explained why the Southern lord, Ryuuji, had been so adept at conquering foreign lands - he had a god's power at his disposal.

"Come, human, we depart," he ordered as Kagome threw her last rock at the god, briefly watching as it simply disintegrated in midair, and then turned on her heal to follow after Sesshoumaru.

She didn't really appreciate being ordered around by the youkai lord, but it sure beat sticking around with that idiot. "You know, for a god, he sure is a baka," she said sourly.

Sesshoumaru gave her a hard glance for her bold words, but realized he could find no fault in them. "Agreed."

It was the first, and possibly the last thing the two would agree on for a very long time.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

So, in summary: Izanagi is kind of an idiot. He lost his spear to his brother, who gave it to some southern lord in hopes that the lord would do something entertaining with it, and now Kagome and Sesshoumaru have to go get it back. Fun times for all, yes? Well, fun times for us, maybe not so much for Kagome or Sesshoumaru, at least, not at first lol.

So, review please


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

**Author Notes:**

Sessoumaru and Kagome are off on a whirlwind adventure and just having a grand ol' time... not really. Well, they are on a whirlwind adventure, but 'grand ol' time' might be a bit of an overstatement.

Anyway, the end part of this chapter is sort of dark, just to warn you. It's not like SAW gruesome, it's just not real uplifting. And you know what they say: if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen...yeah, something like that.

* * *

Kagome was just a little overwhelmed.

And by 'a little overwhelmed', she really meant she had no idea what the heck was going on, or how she had gotten here, and it was seriously freakin' her out.

Okay, maybe saying she was freaked out was a better description of her current mental status... whatever. One minute she was going home and the next she was walking next to Lord Sesshoumaru in search of some magic spear. It was all a little mind boggling.

Was she on drugs? She really suspected that she might be on drugs and, she noted somewhat irrelevantly, that they were not all that they were cracked up to be.

"So, uh... Lord Sesshoumaru... you know where we have to go to get this spear thingy, right?" Kagome asked. She wasn't really sure what she should call him, or even if she should speak to him at all, but she supposed they had to speak to each other sometime.

Plus, she was following his lead so, he better know where the heck he was going. After all, he might have centuries to wander about aimlessly, hoping to stumble upon the spear, but she, on the other hand, definitely didn't.

"You _do_ know where you're going right?"

He didn't respond, but she had been figuring that in stubborn taiyoukai language, that meant 'yes'.

"And how come Izanagi couldn't come with us? It seems to me that this would be a whole lot easier with him around," she said, suddenly missing the chatty god - even though he was sort of a jerk.

He merely gave her a look that she could only describe as being comprised of annoyed indifference. She wasn't sure how one could manage to be both annoyed and indifferent at the same time, but he seemed to pull it off fabulously.

"Look, you might as well answer me, because I'll just keep asking if you don't," she said tiredly.

Sesshoumaru considered his options and decided that she would most likely carry out that threat to fruition if he did not answer her. "It would be dishonorable for him to forcibly retrieve that which he rightfully lost," he said.

"So, he can't take it back, but we can take it back for him?" she wanted to know.

He ignored her and continued to stare blankly in front of him as though absolutely everything was resolutely boring, and seeing as there wasn't anything being eviscerated in the immediate area, Kagome suspected it was likely that the lord was just as bored as he seemed.

"So, our job is to take the spear from whoever has it, seeing as they probably wouldn't just willingly hand it over to Izanagi, and then we can give it to him, and everything will be fine?"

Again, silence.

Kagome scrunched her face in concentration. "So, let me get this straight. He can't help us because it would be dishonorable to steal it back, but somehow it's considered more honorable for us to steal it and then give it to him?"

It didn't make much sense to her, but then again, most things that had to do with honor didn't make sense. She had once met a samurai who cut off his own hand because he had accidentally sliced off his comrade's hand in the midst of a battle. When she asked him why he had done it, he said it was the only way to regain his honor.

Kagome would've just sent some flowers and been done with it. Who needs honor when you had to cut off your own hand to get it?

"That's really kind of stupid, you know," she said distastefully. "I'm probably gonna get stuck in the middle of some huge, epic fight over a spear, aren't I? And it's all for stupid honor. Honor isn't even a real thing! Not like arms or legs, or all the other appendages I'd like to not have chopped off because some haughty lord doesn't want to give back his spear!" she ranted, her voice going shrill.

Sesshoumaru gave her a cold glare. "I would not expect one such as yourself to understand, wench."

_Well, when you find someone who DOES understand, please let me know,_ she thought petulantly. _Maybe you and the one handed samurai can have a little get together and try explaining it to me sometime._

"And don't call me 'wench'. I have a name," she said snippily, "I thought you might like to learn it, since we'll be traveling together for at least a few days."

Again, nothing.

"It's Kagome," she muttered, "just thought you should know."

He gave no acknowledgment that he had heard her or that she still existed.

Kagome huffed and stuck her tongue out at him, squeaking in fright when his previously distant gaze focused on her to give her another cold stare. She gave an apologetic laugh and picked up her pace, happily noting that she was not a bloody mass of severed limbs and disemboweled pieces.

She guessed she would be safe with him... for now. She had heard Izanagi tell him that she was not to be harmed under his care or the god would mount the taiyoukai's head on his mantel, but she wasn't so sure that really made him any less inclined to kill her. But hopefully he valued his life enough that he wouldn't harm her, and perhaps she might even learn a thing or two about the cold, demon lord.

She was almost happy, that is until she fully realized that Lord Sesshoumaru, aristocratic assassin of the west, the demon who would kill you just as soon as he looked at you, was her new travel companion. Which was frightening enough without the fact that her usual protector and friend, Inuyasha, had no idea she was in trouble. He still thought she was studying for her calculus exam, 500 years in the future.

_Boy is he gonna go crazy when he finds out what really happened to me,_ she thought giddily, distracting her just enough that she found herself tripping ungracefully on a protruding root and landing awkwardly on her ankle.

"Ow," she groaned as she stumbled a few steps forward to regain her balance. She heard him... well, not really laugh, but huff in an amused sort of way.

Her face blushed a bright red.

She imagined that she had probably looked embarrassingly clumsy, or possibly mentally incompetent. She wasn't sure which was better. Whatever, the fact that she was no longer traveling with her friends, who would love her even if she was the clumsiest creature to ever have the misfortune of stumbling across this earth, suddenly weighed down on her. She was now in the company of _Sesshoumaru, _and he was all perfect and graceful and would never ever trip unless he did it on purpose. Not that he would ever even _think _of tripping - he was far too dignified and whatnot.

She wanted to stick her head in a hole and never come out. Traveling with someone so pristine was going to give her some sort of inferiority complex; she was sure of it.

"So, uh... Where are Rin and Jaken?" she asked, hoping to distract him from her humiliation. She tried not to cringe as she continued walking as if nothing had happened.

He shrugged, not caring to explain their whereabouts. They were obviously not here; why should she care where he had told them to await his return?

"Okay..." she said awkwardly. "It's just weird to see you without them. I mean, aren't you wondering where Inuyasha is?"

Again he just shrugged, as if to say, 'It is of no consequence where my vile half-brother has decided to rest his pathetic body. As long as he is not fouling my air, I am content.'

Kagome wanted to slap the pompous bastard.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not curious, because I have no idea where he is anyway," she mumbled to herself. She hadn't really thought about it until now, but he was going to be worried when she didn't return in a few days like she promised. How was she going to let him know she was okay? "This is all that stupid well's fault. I was supposed to go home, but it let that jerk through instead," she grumbled.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he glanced at her from the corner of his golden eyes. The things she was saying were strange and he very reluctantly felt an unwelcome curiosity bubbling in his chest. "You live in a well?" he asked blandly.

"No, of course not," she scowled before realizing that he wasn't trying to be mocking or funny, but that he truly did not know of the powers the well possessed and how she used them. "My home is through the well. I'm from the future... You didn't know that?" She asked incredulously. "Weird. I guess I just always thought you would have figured it out somehow."

Now that she thought about it, why _had_ she figured that he knew she was from the future? It wasn't exactly a deduction one commonly made on their own.

_I say, that girl is quite strange._

_Yes, I concur._

_She must be from the future!_

_Undoubtedly! _

Kagome mentally shook herself and vowed to stop having fake conversations in her head.

"You speak nonsense," Sesshoumaru decided after a moment's contemplation. A well that delivered this annoying girl from the future? Impossible.

Kagome huffed. "I do not! I really am from the future! Why else do you think I dress and act so differently from you?"

"Hn," was the only response he gave her. He never exactly gave the matter much thought. In his eyes she was never more than an irritating bug that would not be squished, obviously not worth any sort of strenuous thought. He had always just figured that she was not quite right in the head.

Somehow, Kagome felt as though he thought her insane... and come to think of it, maybe she was. Surely anyone who thought it was a good idea to make conversation with a taiyoukai about their time traveling tendencies couldn't possibly be in their right mind.

_Oh good,_ she thought brightly. _Maybe I really _am_ insane and tomorrow I'll wake up in a nice padded room with barred windows._

She giggled to herself and limped along after Sesshoumaru, not bothering to notice the mildly perplexed look on his face.

***

Smoke curled across the ground like a deadly veil, making everything around her nothing more than a silhouette against the haze. She wanted the smoke to disappear, but perhaps it was better this way; if she could not see the destruction, then maybe she could pretend it wasn't there.

Suddenly a shadow appeared in the smoke, a dark form growing larger and larger as it drew near. She knew who it was before he even came close enough to let her see his face. He was the one who had caused all this. He was the one who had destroyed everything.

And now he had come for her.

"Please do not kill me," the trembling girl begged at his feet. Her wide, tear-filled eyes did not meet his, as though his gaze would turn her to stone. Which of course was ridiculous, but he could not fault her much; he was quite terrifying to look upon, after all.

Shigeru thrust his sword into the dirt by his side and leaned against it casually, picking an imaginary piece of lint from his haori sleeve. "No? You do not wish to die?" he asked as though completely surprised by this announcement.

"N-no, p-please... I will do anything!" she cried, burying her face in the long, billowing robes she wore.

Shigeru shook his head sympathetically and walked over to the sobbing hime. "There, there, I am not going to kill you," he assured her, his fingers finding her chin and lifting it so that it was no longer hidden in her robes. "Beauty such as yours should not be wasted."

"T-thank you," she sniffed, trying to pull her head from his grasp, but he would have none of it. His hold only tightened, his claws digging into her soft, pale skin. She whimpered and ceased her struggling.

"Now, is that anyway to repay such generosity?" he asked in a deadly sweet voice. "Trying to escape from the one who has so kindly spared your life?"

The hime dropped her eyes to the ground in resignation. She wanted to spit in his horrible face, tell him that if it were not for him her life would not need sparing, but instead she said, "N-no, my apologies, youkai-sama."

"Ah, no harm done, my beauty," he chuckled darkly and released his hold on her chin to pat her unceremoniously on the cheek. She flinched and then gasped, realizing she had possibly offended him again.

Shigeru only smiled at the girl and pulled her to her feet by her forearm. "That is quite alright, my sweet. Soon you will relish my touch. Yes, quite soon," he promised, the malicious edge to his words making her shiver in fright as he dragged her along with him.

He led her out of the smoke where everything was laid out bare for her to see. They passed by several of her slain servants, stepped over two of her lifeless guards, and brushed past her overturned carriage. Behind it, the wagon that had held all of her worldly possessions was ablaze; the source of all the smoke.

She had been on her way to her future husband's manor when he had attacked. A lone youkai did not seem to be much of a threat; she had more than enough guards to dispatch one demon.

But she was wrong, her guards had been slain, the horses that had pulled her carriage were suddenly gone, and her carriage had been toppled in the mayhem. She had climbed from the wreckage, but the smoke was already thick and she did not go far before collapsing on the ground. How cruel it was that her wedding day should be tomorrow, and now, it seemed she would never see it.

"Do not be sad," Shigeru told the girl as he noticed her silent tears and disheartened look. "Soon you will grow to love me; they all do."

She wanted to ask who exactly 'they' were, but she did not have the time. She gasped as a ghostly carriage descended from the sky right before her eyes. She barely glimpsed the haunting, scaled beasts that pulled it before she was thrust inside.

Shigeru clapped his hands together and went to sit at the head of the carriage. Another task completed, another beauty won. _And what a beauty she was,_ he smiled wickedly. He would have to celebrate.

"Up," he commanded with a flick of the reins, and the carriage ascended into the night sky.

The hime, having just been thrown into the cab without the least bit of respect, collapsed onto a pair of silk-clad legs. She blinked away her fear and indignity and looked up.

"Ah yes, you are quite beautiful," the auburn-haired girl she had fell upon said mournfully. "His taste is exquisite."

A firm pair of hands lifted her from the floor into a more appropriate position. "Do not complement that beast!" the woman who had helped her up reprimanded the auburn-haired girl.

She shrugged. "I was merely making a statement, Kiya" she sighed as though all joy and happiness had gone from her soul.

_She has such marvelous hair,_ the hime thought in awe. Such a color was rare. It shone like silk even in the dark. In fact, the girl herself was beautiful, though, her eyes were as dull and lifeless as a corpse.

The hime could not help but shudder at the shell of a girl before her. "W-where am I?" she asked. Looking around she noticed that there must have been ten other women in the carriage including herself, all devastatingly beautiful, but all with that same dead look upon their faces. They didn't even seem to recognize that she was here; they just stared blankly at anything but each other.

In fact, the only beings that seemed to have any lucidity left in them were her, and the two women that had greeted her.

The woman named Kiya, a tall girl with dark eyes and jet black hair, shook her head sadly. "What is your name?"

"I am called Amaya," the hime said wearily, her eyes once again filling with tears as she looked at the desolate face of each of the silent women that shared these quarters. "W-where am I?" she repeated in barely a whisper.

"Amaya," Kiya repeated with the faraway look of someone not quite all there. She shook herself and turned back to Amaya with a dark look upon her face. "How does it feel to be the newest bride of Shigeru? Tell me, for I have quite forgotten what it is like to feel at all."

Amaya's silent sobs were Kiya's only answer.

***

Outside the carriage Shigeru was in a grand mood. His new bride was quite possibly the most exquisite in his growing collection, and he indulged in a rare smile.

"Where to now, my lord?" the scaled, lizard horse hissed from its harness as it galloped through the dark, night sky.

Shigeru's smile fell. Where would he go now? He had spent so many days searching for the newest pearl to add to his cloister that he had not even thought about what he would do once he had her. He thought that maybe this time he would feel complete. Maybe this time he had finally found enough gems to satisfy. But still he felt empty.

He could not rest feeling so empty.

Shigeru closed his eyes and inhaled. He could smell the putrid human village nearby, the stink of the rotting leaves of the forest below, the crisp, biting cold of the wind as it descended from the mountains, and the...

"Ah," Shigeru smiled wickedly, opening his eyes.

"What is it, my lord?" his servant asked. "What do you smell?"

Shigeru grabbed the reins and pulled to his right. "I smell... beauty."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

Enter the Maiden Snatcher. See, not an uplifting ending to this chapter, but it can't always be grins and giggles. Or smirks and awkward laughter in Kagome and Sesshoumaru's case.

Well, whatever, review!


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

**Author Notes:**

So, Sesshoumaru and Kagome are still walking south, in search of the spear. She's limping because she tripped, he's not caring because he's him.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was amused. He had been watching the injured miko attempting to keep up with him for the past several hours and it was possibly the most humorous thing he had seen in a long time. She looked as though she would topple over any second, but somehow managed to catch herself just a moment before.

It was terribly funny, at least he thought so.

_If he smirks at me one more time I swear I'm gonna purify his face, _Kagome growled to herself as she struggled to keep up with her taiyoukai guide. His pace was even faster than Inuyasha's and her ankle was throbbing so much she felt as though it were going to pop right off her leg and walk away in protest.

To put it lightly, she was not happy, but she wasn't about to let _him _know that. So, she bit down on her lip and refused it acknowledge her screaming limb.

_Shut up, stupid body parts! _She growled to her misbehaving appendage. _Don't make me hurt you...me...whatever!_

Sesshoumaru quickened his strides and listened as the girl's pace rose to match his. He knew her ankle hurt her, he could smell her pain, but she would not slow._ She is mu ch too stubborn, _he thought to himself. _No wonder she is always around my loathsome half-brother._

"Nice day for a walk isn't it?" Kagome asked him in an overly cheery attitude, trying not to sound out of breath. She knew he was trying to get her to ask him to slow down, she knew it would satisfy his twisted sense of humor. Not that he had a sense of humor. It was more like a really creepy smirk that he got whenever something was writhing in pain, or dying, or - in her case - limping like an old man with gout.

"Miko, I would hardly call what you are doing 'walking'," he said in his usual bored manner, not even sparing her a glance. Kagome narrowed her eyes, her false smile slipping off her face as she tried to lessen her obvious limp.

_I wish I could sit him like Inuyasha! _She thought furiously and then smirked as an image of Sesshoumaru being magically pounded into the dirt came to mind.

She imagined it would go something like this:

_"Sesshoumaru, sit boy!"_

_Wham!_

_Sesshoumaru transforms into a giant, acid breathing dog and devours her._

She half cringed, half laugh at the thought of subduing the demon lord. _I wouldn't live to do it a second time, but it would be sooooo worth it._

Sesshoumaru noticed her mischievous grin and wondered if the woman was daft. He had made a joke at her expense, she should not find it humorous.

"And would you stop doing that?" Kagome snapped as she caught him looking at her, quickly disposing of her smirk as though she were afraid he could read her thoughts behind it.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow.

"All the staring! Stop it - it's creepy," she said matter-of-factly. "Not to mention rude."

"Indeed," he said dryly and refocused his golden eyes to the path in front of him.

They walked in an uneasy silence for the remainder of the day. Uneasy meaning that Kagome was twitching from lack of conversation, and Sesshoumaru was unaffected. Which, now that Kagome thought about it, was a fairly accurate portrayal of their respective characters: Twitchy and Unaffected. Like some horribly animated cartoon show of a squirrel and a particularly aloof cat.

"Hey, let's make camp," she finally gave in as the sun began to slip below the horizon. They had been walking for at least six hours and even though she didn't know how much farther they had to go to get to this spear, she really didn't care. She was _tired, _and _irritated, _and about to put her fist through a tree.

Which would not be a good idea seeing as she wasn't actually strong enough to do such a thing and would probably only end up with some broken fingers and another mocking huff from her companion.

"You wish to stop so soon?" Sesshoumaru smirked humorlessly - the first thing he had said in SIX hours. "With your apparent stamina I expect we could travel another few miles."

Kagome threw him a harsh glare, realizing that he was making fun of her. "You think you're pretty clever don't you?"

"You are entirely too stubborn for your own good, miko, _that_ is what I think."

"UGH!" Kagome growled. "That's it! We're making camp, and that's final!" Kagome watched as he flipped his long, silver hair over his shoulder and turned his back to her. He settled himself against the largest tree bordering the small clearing they had happened upon and stared off into the distance.

Kagome dropped her bag to the ground and glared at him. "Aren't you even going to help me?" She huffed.

"No," he said simply, as though it was the most ridiculous question anyone had ever asked him.

"And why not?" She demanded, placing her hands on her hips. She wasn't usually this temperamental, but the youkai lord had been subtly pushing her buttons all day and she was snapping from exhaustion.

"If it will stop your nagging, I will help you gather provisions," he sighed. He was really starting to regret his decision not to gut the priestess. Sure there was that whole problem of the god who had threatened to make him into an ornamental wall hanging should he harm her, but the headache she had managed to give him almost made him wish the god would just chop off his head and put him out of his misery.

The school girl considered his offer, looking intently at his face to try and gauge if he was being serious, or just mocking her again. She could never tell with him; his expression never changed.

"No, I don't want your help if your going to act like that. You should do it because you _want_ to help me, not because you want to shut me up!" She decided and then sighed exhaustedly. "You know what? Never mind. I'm going to go soak my ankle, I'll be back soon. Try not to have too much fun while I'm gone," she grumbled sarcastically.

The taiyoukai watched as the miko grabbed her bag and limped off into the forest, wondering why on earth she expected him to _want _to gather fire wood.

_Insufferable humans._

_***_

Kagome was fed up. In under 24 hours he had managed to completely exhaust her in every way possible. Her limbs screamed from the miles they had walked, her head throbbed from the frustration he had put her through, and her throat ached from yelling. She was a mess and it was all his fault!

"He's even more annoying than Inuyasha!" Kagome groaned at the dripping wash cloth she held in her hands. The stream she found was much too shallow to bath in, but she could easily dangle her feet into the cooling water and wipe some of the dried sweat from her forehead. It felt good - not as good as an actual bath - but at least she wouldn't smell... as much.

_Ugh, I just want to get this over with! What is it about me that attracts all the wrong male attention?_ She thought petulantly. The boy she loved could barely look her in the eyes, but the perverted god she had just met had no problem whisking her away and declaring that she would be his bride. Not to mention the overly friendly wolf that claimed her as 'his woman' every time they met.

Yeah, her life kinda sucked. She truly and sincerely believed that her life could not possibly suck anymore unless she were dead, but apparently the cruel hands of fate knew no bounds.

Suddenly Kagome stiffened, some unseen disturbance tickling her senses like a drop of ice water being dripped on her neck and leaving her shivering as it trickled down her back. An unsettling aura pushed against her senses, causing her miko powers to spark uncomfortably.

Something was out there, something demonic, and it wasn't her taiyoukai companion.

"Whose t-there!" She stuttered, her voice sounding pathetic and small even to her own ears, "show yourself."

"Ah, observant are we?" A cold voice hissed into the night much closer than expected, causing Kagome to gasp and drop her rag.

"W-who are you? What do you want?" She demanded, wrenching her feet from the cool stream to scramble to her feet.

"Do not fret, little morsel, I do not kill pretty ladies," a dark shadow spoke as it slowly crept from the line of trees across the stream from the shaking girl. "I have something much more... enjoyable planned for you."

Kagome backed away slowly without taking her eyes off of the menacing figure only a few yards away from her. "S-sorry, but I really should be getting back to my friend," she smiled nervously as her back came to rest against the trunk of a tree.

The shadow stopped pacing and took an aggressive step forward. "Do not spoil my good time, little morsel!"

Kagome didn't wait for the demon to pounce before turning sharply and dodging the tree at her back, running as fast as she could into the forest. Not a second later she heard wood splinter as her chaser collided with said tree in his haste to catch her. She could hear his wicked laugh as he ran after her, snickering threats that could not be heard over her frantic panting. Branches and thorns tore her arms and clothes as she continued to run in what she hoped was the direction of the campsite. She didn't know what she would do once she got there, she only hoped that Sesshoumaru's presence might be enough to scare the lesser youkai away.

"You cannot run forever!" The other demon said gleefully just as Kagome's foot caught on a root and she fell to her hands and knees.

_I'm gonna lose my virginity covered in dirt and leaves! _She thought unintelligibly. _I'm about to get raped, and all I can think about is the fact that I'm covered in dirt and leaves! What is wrong with me? I should keep running..._

She whimpered as she struggled to regain her footing, but she knew it was too late. She had nowhere to run, nothing to defend herself with, and no one to save her.

"Inuyasha!" He called desperately.

"Ah, you might as well stay on the ground, little morsel, I will make this qui-"

Kagome gasped as she heard the demon's cruel voice cut off with a sickening gurgle. She whipped her head around to see a tall figure clad in white holding her chaser in the air with one hand, his claws deeply imbedded in the youkai's throat.

Sesshoumaru stood completely silent, the only sign of his deadly intent was in the icy, heart-stopping glare he sent to the poor creature before dropping the choking demon to the ground. He sputtered in agony before finally slumping to the floor in a pool of his own, disgusting blood.

The taiyoukai watched the show before him with a look of mild distaste. He had thought perhaps this was the maiden snatcher he had originally set out to find, but this demon was far to weak to garner such a reputation. No, this youkai was just a low-level waist of time.

He flicked the blood from his claws and turned his cold, golden eyes to Kagome. "You will do better to take of yourself in the future, miko. If you die, my life is forfeit as well."

The look of awed wonder quickly slid from her face into a scowl. Kagome never really liked having to be rescued, but she was certainly appreciative every time she was. But her rescues had usually been orchestrated out of love or kindness, not because she was holding a demon lord's life in her hands. It made her feel dirty and worthless, like she was just an inconvenience to be guarded and nothing more.

Which, in all reality, she was, but she still didn't like feeling that way.

"Sorry," she muttered, any joy she felt for his rescue quickly fading with his increasingly cold indifference. "I could've taken care of him myself if I had my bow."

"Then why are you without it?" He asked without looking at her as she stood and brushed the dirt off of her scraped knees.

"I lost it," she grumbled.

Sesshoumaru gave her a withering glare, undoubtedly trying to resist the urge to dismember her for her stupidity.

"I know, I'm an idiot for losing it," she huffed before he could take any drastic actions against her person. "I'm human and stupid and forgetful, but there's nothing I can do about it now! And if I don't want to lose all of my other things, I need to go get my bag. I left it back at the river when that lunatic attacked me."

"Then I will go with you," he announced stiffly, "I do not trust that you will not fall in the stream and drown." He perused that mental image for a moment and found it quite amusing, once this was over perhaps he could drown her himself.

"How sweet," Kagome said, rolling her eyes and limping back the way she had come. She was bleeding and sweaty and covered in dirt and she really didn't appreciate being told what a helpless damsel she was.

In truth, all these things were tolerable, the thing that distressed her the most was the intensity in which she suddenly missed Inuyasha.

He would have rescued her just the same as his half-brother, probably with a lot more shouting and swearing, but just as effectively nonetheless. He would have killed her tormenter, turned to her with a scowl and told her what a baka she was, but at the same time would have grabbed her hand and lifted her to her feet with such obvious care that she would only be able to smile.

Well, she certainly wasn't smiling now. Nope, Lord Stick-Up-The-Ass only made her want to sneer. Permanently. Yup, her face would surely be stuck in a constant show of distaste if she stayed with him too long.

_The sooner we find this spear, the better,_ Kagome sighed inwardly.

It took twenty minutes to find her bag, wash her newly acquired cuts, and make their way back to the campsite. All of this was done in silence of course, because the great lord of the west was quickly proving to Kagome that he was the most unsociable creature in all of japan. Possibly the whole planet.

That stick must've been really wedged up there.

When they finally made it back to the clearing, Sesshoumaru abruptly faded back into the woods before quickly reappearing with a bundle of wood and throwing it on the ground at Kagome's feet. She stared at him with a slightly awed look as he simply reclaimed his station at the base of the tree.

"Thanks," Kagome managed, as she continued to stare at the youkai lord. Great, now she felt guilty for having ill thoughts about the jerk. It wasn't like he just professed his deepest and most heart-felt apology for every wrong he had ever done to her, but still, it was pleasantly unexpected.

He gave a quick nod of his regal head before going back to his favorite pastime of ignoring the world around him.

"And thanks for saving me, I was kind of a jerk to you before," she mumbled, shifting uncomfortably as she remembered yelling at him and then storming off.

"I do not wish to die on behalf of your human weaknesses, miko," he said coldly.

_And just like that he ruins it, I almost thought he could possibly be hiding a good guy deep within that stoic, self-important facade, _she thought, shaking her head. _Oh well, at least he hasn't tried to melt me...yet._

"You could just say 'no problem' and be happy," she sighed, arranging the wood into a pile and quickly lighting a match so that Sesshoumaru wouldn't see it. She wasn't exactly ready to tell him about the convenient little invention from the future as it would undoubtedly lead to other, more tricky inquisitions.

"Hn," was his only response.

Kagome decided that she was too exhausted to even try to make dinner or change into her pajamas...if Taka and Hakuchou had even left her pajamas. They seemed to have thought that outfitting Kagome with a new, more era appropriate, wardrobe was the best thing that had ever happened to them. And even if they wouldn't admit how much they enjoyed the task, Kagome was not about to ruin their fun.

She smiled as she thought of her two bird friends. They had given her some rather scanty clothing, but it was undoubtedly beautiful - not to mention a lot easier to maneuver in than her previous blouse and skirt outfit. The silk yukatas were as light as a feather, but as durable as thick cotton, making Kagome suspect that they were woven with some sort of magic.

Whatever, they were comfortable enough to sleep in and she was tired enough to do it. She pulled the worn sleeping bag from her pack and quickly settled herself by the fire.

"Goodnight Sesshoumaru," she said quietly.

The only sounds came from the crackling fire before her.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

Hm, Kagome being chased by a perverted demon, who would have seen that coming? Oh, and Sesshoumaru coming to save her, that was really unexpected too. I really need to stop being so surprising lol.

Review?


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

**Author Notes:**

Yup, still walking, Kagome gets on Sesshoumaru's nerves...a lot.

* * *

She wouldn't shut up.

Sesshoumaru had glared at her and scowled at her, but still she persisted.

She was driving him mad.

"So..." Kagome said with an amused look on her face. "Killing perfection, huh? What a strange name. Kinda bloodthirsty, not to mention arrogant, but I suppose it's fitting. Though, I can't imagine giving a baby that name..." she babbled.

Had Sesshoumaru been more expressive, he was sure his eye would have twitched.

Kagome, of course, continued with her monologue as if she wasn't dangerously close to having her tongue severed. She desperately craved conversation, and if he wouldn't provide it, then she would just have to start one herself.

"I mean, did you have a nickname when you were little? You know, until you grew into the whole 'killing mercilessly' part?" She asked. Kagome glanced over at her silent companion and wondered what Sesshoumaru was like when he was a kid. _I mean, he had to be a child at some point, right?_ Unless inuyoukai just sprouted from the ground - tall, dark, growling and unfairly clean.

No, Sesshoumaru must've been young at one point, though, she could hardly imagine him as your typical toddler; giggling and squirming and asking where babies came from. Kagome almost snorted. Now THAT she would pay to see.

Sesshoumaru had only vaguely been listening, but he figured that if he did not respond soon she would continue her incessant chatter for hours. "What are you going on about, miko?"

"Eh?" Kagome gave him a blank look. "I was just asking about your name."

"What about it?" He said in his deep baritone.

"Well, I was just wondering...wait a second, you weren't listening to me at all, were you?" She said, glaring angrily at him.

"No."

"That's rude I hope you know," she sniffed, crossing her arms and sticking her nose in the air. "Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?"

"No," he responded again. It was the job of the royal tutors to instruct him on proper court etiquette, surely the miko knew this.

"I was being sarcastic, Einstein," she rolled her eyes.

_'Einstein'? _He mentally repeated the word with mild confusion. He rolled it around on the tip of his tongue for a bit and decided that he didn't like it.

No, he did not like it at all.

"You will not insult This Sesshoumaru, wench," he growled at the back of her head. She had apparently given up on their conversation and was now trying her best to ignore him.

Ignoring things was not her strong-suit.

"Oh, lighten up," she scoffed. Seriously, there were worse things she could have called him. Einstein _was _a genius after all, she could've just been blunt and told him he was stupid. "This is why the only creatures that can stand to be around you are a whimpering little toad and an orphan girl; you'd drive everyone else nuts!"

Seeing as she was currently driving _him_ to the brink of insanity, he did not believe she had grounds to make such accusations. "I believe someone is being a bit hypocritical," he said dryly.

"Maybe," she conceded, "but at least I have friends, which is more than you can say."

"I do not need, nor do I want _friends_," he said, sneering at the last word as though it gave him a bad taste in his mouth simply to say it.

"Sure you don't," she said in a patronizing tone that had him teetering on the verge of homicidal. His claws twitched and he fought back a growl. "Really, don't you get tired of everyone being afraid of you?"

"No," he said stubbornly, and then added, "the ability to instill fear in one's enemies is vital to a being of my position."

_Wow, someone is a bit touchy on this subject, _she thought. _Well, at least he's talking to me._

"Not everyone is your enemy, you know," she said matter-of-factly. "And fear can only get you so far. When I first met you I was terrified of you, but you still couldn't take Tessaiga, could you?"

He too remembered the look of terror in her eyes as he doused her with enough poison to melt a small village. It was one of his fonder memories of the miko.

"It was mere luck that you escaped with your life," he said dismissively. "And it is only a god's protection that allows you to keep it no w."

Kagome just rolled her eyes at the arrogant youkai. "Sure, sure," she said, waving a hand, "you can threaten me all you want, but I'm not afraid of you anymore, I don't think you're really as mean as you want people to believe."

Sesshoumaru stopped mid-step and glared at her. She was not afraid of him? The miko had always been one to thrust herself into mortal peril, but by telling him _this_ it was clear that she was now suicidal.

"Then you are foolish, miko," he said, his words sharp. "For when the god's mate is returned to him, you will fall out of his protection and onto my claws."

Kagome blinked, _did he just tell me he was going to kill me when this was over? Yeah, I think he did. Well, that wasn't very nice._ She walked over to the imposing lord with her hands on her hips. He simply remained unmoving and unaffected, looking...bored again.

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that how you deal with _everything_? You kill it?" She asked incredulously, "And when all is said and done, when everyone who has ever wronged you is dead, what will be left, huh? Will you truly be happy then, Sesshoumaru-_sama_? Or will you simply be alone?"

He didn't answer her. She didn't expect him to.

And with that said, she sighed, turned on her heal and continued their traveling as though they had never stopped. "I think one day you'll realize that you need people, even if you won't ever admit it."

He scoffed as he continued after her. He wasn't exactly sure how to handle what had just happened - she had faced him and yelled at him and he had let her. No one had ever done such a thing and lived. No one had ever challenged him in such a way.

He did not like it, nor did he understand it, and so... he ignored it.

"I'd be your friend," she added conversationally even though he had not given any indication that he was still listening to her, "if your head wasn't so big, that is."

But _that _was something he could not ignore.

"If I _were _to one day seek friendship, it would not be yours," he said coldly, giving her a glare that clearly told her he would rather set fire to his own hair than try and make a friend and t hat he would rather eat the ashes of his burnt hair than try to make friends with _her._

"You know, you really are impossible!" She snapped. "I'm surprised you can even get within a two foot radius of a female without her immediately wanting to slap you for being so annoying."

Sesshoumaru arched an elegant brow. She had argued with him, annoyed him, yelled at him, and insulted him... it was time she learned her place. He smirked wickedly as he quickly closed the distance between them, grabbing the miko by the shoulder and spinning her around so that her chest was pressed against his breastplate.

Kagome gasped as she collided with his armor, her wide eyes immediately finding his. He leaned towards her, golden irises gleaming as he sneered. "Do you doubt This Sesshoumaru's ability to attract members of the opposite sex?"

Um, what had she been talking about? She shook her head frantically and hoped that it was the right gesture.

"Good," he responded as any expression he previously held melted off his face. He released her, pushing the shell-shocked girl aside without a second glance. "Then I suggest you keep quiet."

Kagome could only nod weakly, staring blankly at the spot where he had just been, standing very close, only inches away. Her knees and heart seemed to be having a sort of epileptic episode, she noted. _Hm, strange, perhaps I should feint._

She settled on staring blankly at a tree instead.

_Get it together, Kagome! _She chided herself as she took a deep breath, rubbing circles on her temples with her fingers. She gathered herself and turned to follow after the source of her distress. _He was just being a jerk so, stop thinking about how close he was to your face and how close you were pressed to - NO! Stop it, just act like nothing happened._

And so, the two unlikely companions continued on their journey, one trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, and the other simply ignoring everything.

***

"Rin, you foolish girl, what do you think you are doing!" Jaken yelled, waving his staff above his head in distress.

"I am making a crown for our lord, master Jaken, would you like to help?" The girl was sitting in a field of bright, yellow flowers, picking the fragrant blooms and braiding them into a chain. She would sit there all afternoon, if left to her own devices, making countless flower crowns and bracelets and necklaces. Jaken had to stop her immediately if he did not want to be covered from head to toe.

"No, I most certainly would not!" he said indignantly. "And you should not either - Lord Sesshoumaru has no interest in such ridiculous things!"

Rin frowned and looked down at the half finished crown. "Why not?"

"Because, you stupid girl, he is a great and mighty demon lord!" Jaken scoffed. "He would not be caught dead with such a silly gift."

Rin merely shrugged her shoulders and added another flower to the chain. "Well, if he doesn't like it, he can throw it away."

Jaken rolled his bulbous, yellow eyes. "You will not have time to finish it anyway, stubborn child, Lord Sesshoumaru will be returning any minute."

"Oh, I don't think he's coming back just yet," Rin said assuredly as she picked another flower and flicked a lady bug from one of its petals.

"And what makes you think such nonsense?"

Rin turned to her youkai companion and gave him an airy look. "Rin just knows, master Jaken."

And with that she went back to her task, humming a tune as Jaken scratched his head in confusion.

***

Kagome was hungry. Her stomach was rumbling, and she _knew _he could hear it, but like most things, he was ignoring it. And he was ignoring it because he was a jerk, and Kagome was pretty sure she might hate him.

"You don't eat very often, do you?" Kagome asked irritably.

They had been walking all day and the only thing she'd had to eat was a smushed granola bar that morning. And that was her last smushed granola bar, too! After all, she had been on her way home when he was so rudely kidnapped, and she had been hoping to replenish her dwindling supplies. But soon she wouldn't have _any _food left, not even the gross canned beans she kept with her for emergency purposes only. And she was pretty sure she didn't even have a can opener... how typical.

Sesshoumaru continued to ignore her, which was also typical.

"You don't talk much either," she noted with a roll of her eyes. "Aren't Lords supposed to be sociable?"

"Lords may be however they wish to be," he said impatiently. "Unlike foolish miko, who seem to only be insufferable."

Kagome huffed in indignation and crossed her arms over her chest, "I am not insufferable! You're just unable to appreciate anything, even something as simple as a conversation!"

Sesshoumaru gave the girl a withering glare, though, he wasn't able to muster as much murderous hatred behind it as usual. Something about the way she spoke with him intrigued him on some small level. No one had ever dared to speak against him, and here she was, doing it on an annoyingly regular basis.

It was baffling. And incredibly annoying, but not as incredibly annoying as he had thought it should be, which in itself was baffling... he did not like thinking about it.

He could not remember the last time he had argued with someone without killing them soon after. Even as a pup he was rarely chastised - save for his father and mother. Every conversation he held was one filled with honorifics and praise, it was not incredibly irritating, just... tiresome. But this miko was either incapable of - or simply did not wish to - hold her tongue. It was... different to be talked _with _instead of talked _at, _and he begrudgingly admitted that he was not terribly adverse to her verbal sparring. He simply thought it incredibly stupid. Why did she wish to tempt such an obviously powerful youkai? Even with the favor of a god, he knew that _she _knew, it did not guarantee she would be safe from his wrath.

If she truly was from the future, humans must have only grown more idiotic with time.

"Perhaps if the conversation were not so simple, I would appreciate it more," he said as she gave a pathetic squeak of fury.

"That's it!" She exclaimed, storming off to plop down on a fallen tree, her arms still crossed and her chin in the air. Kagome was used to being called annoying and ridiculous, Inuyasha told her as much everyday, but unlike Inuyasha she had a feeling that the youkai lord really meant it. Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks but did not turn to face her.

"Miko, we must make haste," he warned her with a dangerous edge to his cold voice. His amusement in their witty banter quickly fading with her lack of compliance.

"Not until you stop being such a jerk!"

"If you do not wish to hear what I have to say, then do not ask me questions that require a response," he growled. "I am perfectly content to walk in silence, yet you seem to know not the meaning of the concept."

"Now you listen here, buddy," she said, thrusting a finger in front of her and pointing at him angrily even though he was still turned away from her and could probably not see it. "I didn't exactly sign up for this you know, and I'm sorry I had to drag you into it, but that guy was gonna force me to _marry_ him if I didn't do something! So, the least you can do is be civil until this is over and then we never have to see each other again!"

Sesshoumaru, a man who prided himself on his regal patience and calm demeanor, at this moment wanted nothing more than to wrap his claws around the young girl and throttle her until she could no longer plague his existence.

He turned his piercing gaze to Kagome. "I have been forced into a god's service simply because you did not wish to marry him?" He snarled.

"H-hey, don't you dare try and make me feel bad about this!" Kagome said nervously, but defiantly. "I shouldn't be forced to _marry_ someone against my will simply because it would have been more convenient for _you _if I did!"

Sesshoumaru took a calming breath to steady himself, something which he had not had to do in over a century. He had not spoken so much to another in... well, ever. He felt drained. This girl was going to be his undoing and it seemed that there was nothing he could do about it if he did not want to end up dead.

"What is it you suggest I do then, wench," he struggled not to snarl, fixing his face into its' previous mask of indifference.

"I want you to be civil," she said simply, smirking smugly at getting her way.

"And what exactly does 'civil' entail?"

Kagome's smirk died, _what exactly does that entail? _She wondered to herself. She couldn't expect him to suddenly morph into a chatty gentleman, not without him eventually killing her from the strain of it all, so what could she ask from him without it being too much?

"Well," he questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"I want you to say something nice, it doesn't matter about what," she finally decided. "A compliment. I want a compliment once a day."

_Who does this ningen think she is? Demanding praise from This Sesshoumaru! I should skin her alive for even having such thoughts!_

"Well?" Kagome smirked, arching a brow in an eerily accurate imitation.

"Agreed, but there will be no more delays," he said forcefully and resumed his walking, praising the gods when he heard her get up to follow. He really didn't want to soil his clothing by having to drag her along with him.

"Okay," she said happily.

"Good, now silence yourself, miko," he said in his deep baritone. "Lest you wish last nights events to repeat themselves."

"Eh? Oh, you mean that pervert who was after me?" Kagome questioned, choosing to ignore his attempts to get her to shut up. She was a talker, she knew it and accepted it as an often inconvenient part of her personality, and if he didn't like it... well, too bad.

"Indeed."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that...how come he came after me? I mean I know WHY he came after me, but I don't understand why he didn't stay away because of you," she babbled.

"I can conceal my aura if I wish," he answered.

"So, you were concealing your aura?"

"No," he said flatly but did not expand.

"Okay...then why would he come anywhere near you? Aren't you like, terrifying and ruthless and all that?" Kagome said impatiently. Stupid jerk, it was as if he expected her to immediately realize the answer to her question as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Because, miko, he did not realize that I took any interest in whether you lived or died," he growled in frustration. "He believed you to be just a lone woman in the woods. Normally I would not take notice if one of my subjects hunted in my vicinity. As long as they do not get in my way, I care not for their actions."

"Oh," the school girl frowned, "I guess that makes sense... so, does that mean that youkai are gonna come after me even with you around?"

"Not only are you a priestess, but you carry shards of the Shikon no Tama," he said solemnly, "there are many who would wish to do you harm."

_Of course, _she thought drearily, looking down at her chest to see the small, glass vile of shards that hung there. _What was that saying? You can rest when you're dead? I'm gonna find whoever said that and murder them in their sleep._

"Okay, well that settles it," Kagome sighed, "where's the nearest village? If I'm gonna be attacked on a regular basis I'm gonna need to get another bow."

"Hn," her companion responded distastefully.

Kagome rolled her eyes and sensed that this was probably not going to be as easy as taking his hand and skipping off to market. Not that she would ever touch his hand. No, he would probably gnaw her arm off... then beat her to death with it.

"What's the hold up?" She sighed.

He gave her a scowl that clearly said he did not understand, and she realized that though Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha may be used to her odd way of speech, Lord Sesshoumaru was definitely not.

"I mean what's with all the 'hn'-ing, is there a problem?"

"I find human villages rather opposed to my presence," he said, and then added as an afterthought, "it will be most tiresome to wipe the ningen filth from my claws."

"Wha-Oh, hey now!" Kagome said nervously. "I'm a miko, remember? You can't just go around killing people in front of me, it's against my principles! Not to mention it's really horrible and cruel... but I guess you wouldn't care about that."

"Indeed," he said tonelessly.

"Well, even if you don't care, _I _do, and if we're gonna be traveling together I can't let you hurt anyone," she said firmly.

"You are done making demands, miko," he reminded her with a steely edge to his voice that made her shiver.

"O-okay, but this isn't a demand," she said shakily and took a step back from him lest he decided to test those long, lethal looking claws on her face. She liked her face and disfigurement by poisonous claws didn't sound very spiffy. "It's a warning: if you try to hurt an innocent, I'll be forced to defend them!"

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly as he considered the half-frightened, half-recklessly brave, girl. As if she could do anything to stop him, he could break her in half...no, into fourths...before she could even lift a finger against him. And yet there was something about her that made him believe that she would try, she knew she would not be able to stop him, but she would die trying.

He almost found it admirable. Almost. Mostly he found it incredibly stupid.

"I will not harm another in your presence unless they give me reason to," he declared tiredly. "And as much as I loath to admit to the necessity of visiting such a place, for one such as yourself to be traveling unarmed is most unwise. Especially since your safety directly effects mine. I will direct you to the nearest village."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said in a slightly astonished voice. She had thought he would have made a much bigger fuss, Inuyasha definitely would have, but this was certainly surprising. Wow, who knew the stubborn inu-lord could be reasonable?

Sesshoumaru blinked in confusion, "for what?"

Kagome almost laughed. "You're being considerate... sort of, and I'm guessing that's a really big deal for you so, thanks."

He didn't answer, only giving her a hesitant nod before turning away from her and walking towards what she assumed to be the direction of the closest village.

Kagome smiled - apparently the youkai lord was a teensy bit bashful. How funny.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

I love Rin. She's just so weird sometimes, like I get the impression that she would be that creepy little kid who sits in the back of the classroom and eats paper, but I still love her lol.

So yeah, how's it goin' so far? Pretty good? Disastrous? Hopefully not that last one.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

**Author Note:**

Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed!

* * *

_I wonder how a great taiyoukai such as myself has come to be involved in such foolishness, _Sesshoumaru pondered. He had been on a simple search and destroy outing when somehow not only had a rather large responsibility been thrust upon him, but a miko as well.

It was beyond irritating to have to travel with the noisy ningen, but to be forced to walk amongst her filthy people as well? It was disgraceful.

As soon as they had entered this small, human village it's residents had begun making a fuss. Kagome had assured them that she was a miko, and that her youkai companion wouldn't harm them, but they still shot him nervous glances and scampered away whenever he drew too near. He wished they would catch fire, or do _something_ interesting. Then perhaps he wouldn't feel the almost overwhelming urge to destroy them all.

But agreeing not to harm any ningen while in the miko's presence meant that he would have to be tolerant of these humans, and that did not sit well with him. Not at all.

"Find your weapon, miko, I do not wish to linger."

Kagome gave her regal companion a hard look, they had barely been here five minutes and he was already trying to rush her? Geez, was his need to decapitate everything with a pulse seriously _that_ hard to control?

"Okay, okay, but you take the fun out of everything," she grumbled, but quickly recovered as she spotted a small, worn looking hut with an assortment of swords and spears displayed tastefully near the entrance. "That place looks promising."

Sesshoumaru didn't need telling twice. This place reeked of foul humans and their disgusting animals and he was eager to get what they came for and leave.

Without even giving the miko a chance to gather her composure, he took her forcefully by the forearm and pushed her towards the shop. She glared daggers at him, but stumbled through the door nonetheless.

"It's good to know chivalry isn't dead," she sighed, rubbing her sore arm and throwing the unrepentant demon another dirty look. He ignored her, not even wasting the effort to look her in the eyes. It was infuriating! But just as she was about to go over there and give him a piece of her mind, she was interrupted by a very surprised and very portly shopkeeper.

"My lady, I believe you have the wrong shop," he smiled kindly despite his obvious shock at the pair's dramatic entrance. Kagome saw his eyes flash quickly to Sesshoumaru and watched as he gave him a curt bow before turning back to her.

Obviously youkai weren't very popular around here. Probably the only reason the man didn't pick up one of the many swords and thrust it at Sesshoumaru was because the demon lord looked positively deadly from the shadows he had taken to.

"You sell bows here, right?" Kagome asked despite the very obvious arrangement of said weapon hanging in plain view only a few yards away.

"Yes," he said, quirking a brow.

"Well, then I am definitely in the right place," she smiled politely. The shop keeper gave her a calculating look; there was something very different about this girl. Not only did she dress in an almost indecent fashion with her short yukata, but she talked in a foreign manner and gave off an air of great intelligence far beyond her years.

Not to mention her unconventional... pet.

"I see, I guess I should have expected nothing less from one who shares such company as yours," he chuckled.

Kagome was about to say something to his rude comment, but realized that he hadn't meant it in an offensive way. He simply thought it strange that a women would want to purchase a weapon and had obviously attributed the odd behavior to the same ailment that prompted her to take a youkai as a companion.

_It's not like all women are defenseless maidens, _Kagome sighed inwardly. _And just because I travel with a demon doesn't make me crazy... although traveling with Sesshoumaru probably does, but that's not the point._

"I don't need anything fancy," Kagome said, encouraging their conversation away from the lurking taiyoukai as the shop keep lead her over to an assortment of bows. "Just something simple and sturdy."

"Simple and sturdy? And what, may I ask, will a lady such as yourself be using such a bow for?" He smiled warmly at her pleasurable manner of conversation.

She had a lovely voice, one full of life, and the words seemed to flow from her mouth effortlessly as though she were an old friend. Most of his customers came in brandishing cold eyes and haughty sneers and didn't seem happy until they had threatened his life with their newly acquired wares.

Yes, this girl certainly was different.

"Oh, I am no lady," she giggled, picturing herself donning a ridiculous kimono and the look that Inuyasha would give her and her new wardrobe. He would probably disown her. "My name is Kagome, traveling miko, at your service."

"I am called Shin. A miko, eh? Don't get too many of those around here," he said thoughtfully as he turned to look intently at his merchandise with a furrowed brow of concentration.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," she laughed. "So, did you make all of these yourself, Shin?"

"Goodness no!" He said as he picked up a bow, gave it a long look, played with the string, and put it back. "I'm just a trader, I buy weapons off other merchants and passing soldiers. I probably couldn't even begin to tell you where half of these were originally made."

"Wow, I didn't know soldiers could sell their weapons like that."

"They can't, so they sell the ones that don't have masters anymore," he shrugged, completely unfazed with his morbid conversation. Kagome looked around the shop and wondered how many of these swords had been unable to defend their wielders, how many had been stolen away from the corpses they once protected to be bargained off for a few coins. The thought that a vast majority of these weapons had once lay useless at their slaughtered companion's sides was enough to make the young miko shudder uncomfortably.

Suddenly the man gave a deep sigh of frustration and straightened from his hunched position to give her a tired stare. "You know, they say it is the weapon that chooses the person, not the other way around."

Kagome pulled her thoughts back the man in front of her and smirked. "Is that your way of saying you have no idea which bow to sell me?"

"If you want to be blunt," he responded with a mischievous smile. He liked this little miko, she was much bolder than any woman he had ever met, and the fact that she was more than easy on the eyes didn't hurt either.

"Alright, I'll have a look." Kagome set off down the line of neatly hung bows, quickly passing the heavy, ornamental ones in favor of the more slender variety. As she neared the end of the line a white, sleek looking bow caught her eye. She lifted it off it's holder and found that it fit in her hand perfectly, almost as if it had been made for her.

"Wow," she whispered, "it's so... pretty." She had never seen such a dainty instrument of death. It seemed kind of ironic.

"Your taste is impeccable," the Shin said appreciatively as he looked over her find.

"And unfortunately expensive," she sighed as she noticed the silver bands that accented the tips; this thing was probably worth an arm and a leg. She simply did not have enough money so, reluctantly she put it back.

Shin frowned at the disappointed look on the pretty girl's face, it was enough to break any man's heart. "No," the shop keeper stopped her, "you and that bow are a sight to behold, I insist you have it."

Kagome turned towards Shin's kind voice with wide eyes, "that's very nice of you, but I can't do that."

"You can and you will, this old man has more than enough money, but a pretty girl's smile is indeed a rare sight to see. I do not mind parting with this bow in exchange," he smiled gently and pushed the bow towards her. "Now, let's get you some arrows, shall we?"

Kagome didn't know what to say, this was the first good thing that had happened to her since she first found herself in this mess. Everything had been so overwhelmingly horrible that she barely had time to be miserable when the next horrible thing would happen. But this... this man was doing something _nice _for her. She didn't know if she should immediately go crazy or burst into a fit of laughter.

Deciding upon an appropriate medium, she threw her arms around the man and started crying. "T-thank you!" She sobbed. "T-this is s-so n-nice!"

Shin patted the girl on her back awkwardly, "Lady Kagome, please dry your tears, it is simply a bow. I have many others."

"I know," she sniffed and pulled away from his embrace. "I'm sorry, don't pay any attention to me."

Shin just nodded at the girl and gave her another pat on the back for good measure. He really didn't want her to start crying again.

Sesshoumaru watched wearily as the miko wiped her dripping face and gave the man a wide smile. She followed him into the back room to fetch the rest of her supplies, leaving him to unscrambled his thoughts.

_What the hell is wrong with that woman? _He found himself wondering in agitation. He hated tears, he would rather deal with gushing blood than a crying female and he had always avoided such situations whenever he could. He could dress a wound, fight an enemy, but he could not for the life of him stop the flow of salty water that cascaded down a sorrowful face. He was powerless against it.

He did not like being powerless.

As a youkai he had been completely unprepared for his first taste of this womanly tendency. Youkai women did not cry often and ladies of the court only did so rarely and in private. He did not truly see a woman cry until he was a young adult and to this day it never failed to surprise him in the most unpleasant of ways.

***

_"Father, can you not make her stop?" Sesshoumaru said distastefully as another wail erupted from the next room._

_"My boy, I would if I could," the dog general chuckled and sipped his tea._

_Sesshoumaru scowled and tried to drown out the aggravating noise. He hated his father's new concubine, hated her more than anything. She was beautiful and sweet and had a smile that could soften even the hardest of hearts. _

_Which was one reason Sesshoumaru hated her; he did not like feeling soft, it was below him. The other reason was because she was human. A filthy piece of trash dressed in silk and bows, dirtying his father's name and bed. This was her first time visiting the great Western Palace and already she acted as though she belonged. Smiling at him and the other members of the court as his pathetic father displayed her like a prize upon his arm._

_She was no prize in Sesshoumaru's eyes, to him she was nothing. So, he tried to ignore her, bide his time until her visit was over and she went back to whatever human mud-pit she came from. A task which was proving exceedingly difficult with her gut wrenching sobs._

_"It is disgraceful," Sesshoumaru said quietly as he too took a sip of tea._

_"Now, now, my son. She is a ningen, she is not like youkai women," he chided lightly. "Humans are easily flustered, they are slaves to their emotions. Passion, anger, sorrow...love," the great Inu no Taisho said with a faraway look in his eyes and in that moment he did not look like the powerful and feared leader he was said to be, he looked...content._

_It sickened Sesshoumaru._

_"And sometimes they give into powerful emotions for no reason at all," he chuckled, returning from his blissful reminiscing. "It is something even I do not understand, but I have found it is best to let these things run their course."_

_"You know not what ails her?" Sesshoumaru said in his usual bored manner. He did not really care about his father's wench, but her tears made it impossible to focus on anything else. It gave him this horrible feeling of restlessness that was unbefitting of a youkai of his station._

_"No, I do, but I assure you it is not something to cry over," he laughed. "That is another thing about humans: they often have the most inappropriate reactions. They never act as you expect them to."_

_Sesshoumaru sighed and secretly wished his father was a more direct man. He knew that the great demon lord could just tell him what was bothering his whore, but he also knew that his father would much rather force his quiet son to ask. _

_"Tell me, father, why does she cry?"_

_"Because, Sesshoumaru, she is to birth my child," he said happily as though his words had not just shattered his reputation, his empire, and his future. "When she first told me she smiled so widely I thought her face would surely crack, and then, she burst into tears and hasn't stopped since. Isn't it fascinating?"_

_Sesshoumaru put his unfinished tea down upon the table they shared and gracefully stood. Without giving his father a second glance he walked from the room and out of sight. Izayoi gave another heart-breaking sob as Sesshoumaru melted the first servant to cross his path._

***

His father's human wench had left the palace the next day, it was not safe for her to stay in a place where so many wished to kill the abomination growing in her womb. He remembered the mutinous looks that his father's subjects had flashed the dog general as he led her to the gates, his hand on her shoulder. It had made Sesshoumaru weary, but not nearly as weary as his father's expressionless countenance as her carriage took her away.

But there were no tears that day, just a radiant smile that lit the woman's face as she kissed his father good bye and placed a tender hand on her stomach.

Her changing emotions were the most irrational thing he had ever seen. Well, until he met this miko, that is. One moment she had been fine and the next she was sobbing uncontrollably upon the poor shop keep, thanking him for his kindness. And now as she skipped back into the room with a quiver full of arrows strapped to her back and tears still drying on her cheeks, she was happier than he had ever seen her.

Ridiculous.

"Ready?" She smiled at him. He gave her a curt nod as she turned to say goodbye to Shin. "Thanks so much for everything! If you ever need a miko, just say the word!"

"Thank you, my lady, but I'm sure I'll be just fine," Shin smiled and waved at the young girl. "Take care, use that bow well!"

Sesshoumaru quickly exited, dragging Kagome along with him to prevent her from thanking the man AGAIN. She let out a squeak of surprise, but other wise did not protest.

"Okay, you can let go now," Kagome smiled amusedly. She had never seen Sesshoumaru in such a hurry, even when he was fighting for his life against Naraku he alway seemed so laid back and...bored.

He looked down at the hand that was still clasped onto her wrist, towing her after him, and immediately let go as though he had just been burned. "We are leaving now," he said in his deep baritone voice.

_Thanks captain obvious, _she sighed inwardly.

Kagome looked down at her new bow and smiled. "Okay, I got what I came for anyway. Now you won't have to come and save me again."

"Hn, that remains to be seen," he said dryly.

"Hey! I resent that!" Kagome huffed as she ran to catch up with the impatient demon lord. He was already disappearing into the trees as she gave one last look at the human village he seemed so eager to get away from.

When she finally caught up with him she was panting and sticky with sweat. She wondered why her life couldn't be more like a movie where actors run the lengths of several football fields and come out of it with nothing more than a slight sheen of glistening moisture. But no, this was reality, and reality apparently meant that she was doomed to have a steady stream of stinky droplets of salty water running down her red face.

She really hated reality. Especially since it seemed that Sesshoumaru didn't sweat at all. Nor was he out of breath, or flushed from the heat of the midday sun. In fact, he didn't have a damn hair out of place! Why did it bother her so much that his hair was prettier than hers? She didn't know, but it really made her want to chop it all off to make herself feel better.

"Ahem," Kagome said, staring at her youkai companion with a pointed glare. If he heard her, which she knew he did, he was doing a very good job of playing deaf. "I _said, _AHEM!"

Sesshoumaru sighed, "yes?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She said, raising a dark eyebrow. He had been almost chatty before they had entered the village and she really didn't want him to go all "silent and brooding" on her again.

"No," he responded cooly before he even had time to try and figure out if there was something he was supposed to be remembering.

Kagome growled. "Aren't you forgetting a certain part of our agreement?"

Sesshoumaru would have rolled his eyes, did he not find the action beneath him. He had rather hoped she would forget about that. "The part where I bestow meaningless praise upon your person?" He said tiredly.

"Yes...wait, hey! You're a real jerk sometimes, you know that?" She huffed.

Sesshoumaru shrugged lazily and went back to ignoring everything.

"Fine, be that way," she grumbled and crossed her arms. "Where are we even going?" She spat.

"South."

Kagome rolled her eyes and had to fight the urge to scream. She was going to have an aneurism, he was going to give her an aneurism.

"Okay, we're going South. Are we just going to keep going _South_ until we circle the entire earth and end up right back here? Because that plan kind of sucks."

Sesshoumaru, if he didn't know better, would have sworn that his eye had just twitched. But that was impossible because his body never did what he did not want it to do and what he did not want it to do was show any sign that the infuriating wench was effecting him. Which she wasn't. So his eye could not have possibly twitched. Obviously.

"Be silent, miko."

Said miko sighed and decided to come to terms with the fact that she was probably never going to get a straight answer out of the stubborn lord. She was just going to have to be the bigger man...woman...human...species...whatever, and let this go.

_Breath in. Breath out. Don't kick the demon, _Kagome chanted to herself. _Yeah, good plan._

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

Kagome's a little stressed at the moment, thought she deserved a little mental breakdown...

Anyway, hope you like it!


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

**Author Note:**

Yay, thanks to all my lovely reviewers! I want to give a special thanks to LC Rose, PriestessSianna and especially TexanLady (your reviews are almost as long as my chapters and I love it!). Also thanks to everyone else, and also to my beta DestinysTears!

Well, read on!

* * *

Kagome was on the verge of...something. She didn't really know what, but it probably consisted of a lot of screaming and kicking things, whatever it was.

They had been traveling together for two days, TWO days. Now, two days might not seem like a long time, and admittedly it wasn't, but Kagome didn't care.For TWO DAYS she had no idea where they were going. For TWO DAYS she hadn't had a bath or a good night's sleep. For TWO STINKING DAYS she had to put up with _him._

And _he _was slowly, but surely, driving her insane.

She had thought that her little suggestion for trying to get him to be civil had been a good idea, she had even congratulated herself on her attempts to thaw the icy lord.

But she was a fool.

The first compliment he had paid her had come at the end of the first day, right before they made camp. The sun had been setting and they were enjoying a comfortable silence for the first time since they had begun their travels together, when he said it. He flipped his hair casu ally, settled against a tree, and said:

"_I have not had the urge to end your life in the past hour, without the hindrance of your mouth perhaps we could keep it that way_."

The second had been something about her scent being much less disrupting when she walked downwind. She still really hadn't gotten over that one. In fact, she still didn't think the twenty minutes of shouting at him about how it wasn't her fault that they hadn't come across a stream in TWO days, was enough.

That's why she was here. In the middle of the apparently endless forrest they had been traversing. Shooting arrows at a tree.

"Stupid dog! Stupid, stupid dog!" She grumbled. Apparently her brain was too frazzled to even think up a decent insulting name to call him.

_Stupid dog? _Her mind supplied again. She scowled.

Nocking another arrow, Kagome pulled back on the bow string, aiming at her target. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the spiritual energy swirling around her. She pulled it into herself, into her lungs and her heart and her blood. She felt it spread into her body, felt it tingle on the surface of her skin as she pushed it into the wood beneath her fingers.

The whole process only took a moment, a second of concentration before her eyes opened and she released. The arrow, shimmering like the deadly talons of a righteous bird of prey, found it's mark with a muffled _thunk_, and faded as it sunk into the wood.

Kagome sighed tiredly and wilted to the ground. She had been getting much better at this since she had started practicing, really she had, but the task always proved to be too much for her in the end. Her powers were simply bigger than she was; to hold them was one thing, but to use them was another. They overwhelmed her.

"Get up, miko," a deep baritone sounded from the trees around her, causing her to jump in shock.

Oh, it was _him._

"No, I like the ground," she said tiredly once she realized the voice belonged to someone that she was pretty sure wasn't going to murder her. Even if he was - she really wasn't in any mood to try and stop him.

Sesshoumaru watched the miko through golden eyes as he stepped into the small clearing she had been practicing in. She really was deceptively powerful for such a slight, little thing, he had to admit. He could feel the spiritual energy she summoned sizzle across his skin, making his hair stand on end. It was an impressive sight, if nothing else, but her skills were severely lacking. Some might say that the sheer, uncontrolled power she possessed would make her a deadly foe, but her inability to remain on her feet made the idea that she could possibly pose a threat, a laughable one.

Still...she was powerful, and power - true power - was perhaps one of the few things that held his respect.

"A warrior should not show weakness in battle, miko," he told her, his piercing golden eyes burning holes into hers.

It was sort of creepy, she decided, seeing as he never seemed to blink. "Well, unless the tree decides to retaliate, I'm pretty sure this isn't a battle," she grumbled, averting her gaze to the ground.

He lifted a brow.

"Yeah, yeah. I know that's not what you meant," she sighed. "But in my defense, I never wanted to be a warrior in the first place so, is it really so surprising that I suck at it?"

Sesshoumaru stared at the girl with a look of mild interest on his normally blank face. If she did not like this path, then why did she choose to follow it? He knew by now that she was the Shikon Miko, the girl who had shattered that wretched jewel and spread its evil across the lands. Did she truly feel such a strong responsibility to atone for her actions when she was clearly untrained and ill equipped to handle the task? She was naught but a frightened girl - a human woman fresh from adolescence. Clearly she was in far over her head...and yet, she would see this task through, she would right her own wrongs.

It was honorable, he realized. _She _was honorable.

He cocked his head to the side and gave her a calculating look. "Do you wish to know why you fall?"

The tired priestess sighed and shrugged her shoulders sloppily. "I know why I fall: because I'm a tired school girl who should be studying biology, not the extensive arts of demon obliteration. That's why I fall."

"No, it is because you find no joy in the fight, you find no strength in your own power." He responded.

Again she just shrugged, not really understanding why he cared. "Why should I? I don't like killing things, I don't like ending lives."

Again he was impressed by the sheer enormity of this girl's unwavering morals. She truly regretted every life she had taken, every _youkai _life she had ended. He could smell it on her skin, hear it in her tone.

He had never been one to associate with miko, but the ones he _had_ met were never quite as...pure as she seemed to be. They all seemed to take at least some perverse pleasure in exterminating youkai. They all enjoyed their profession to some extent, but she did not.

"You are a miko, it is what you do," he said somewhat less eloquently than his usual manner of speaking.

"I know, but in my time miko are healers, we don't have to fight demons," she explained. "We get to help people, not hurt them."

"Youkai are not people," he pointed out, his brow furrowing just a little in his confusion.

Kagome shrugged. "They are to me."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened imperceptibly; he was not sure if that was the wisest, or the stupidest thing he had ever heard her say. Either way, he did not quite know how to respond. It was so unlike him to be at a loss for words, not that he spoke often, but his silence was usually due to preference rather than inhibition.

He did not like the feeling, he did not like it at all.

He looked away from her and towards the tree she had been shooting at. "You protect those who are defenseless, you fight for the lives of those who cannot fight for it themselves. That is how you help people in _this _time, miko. You should take pride in the strength that allows you to do this," he said sternly as he turned and headed back towards the trees. "Take pride in what you do, or do not do it at all."

He started to walk away from her, his steps graceful, but unhurried.

As she watched his slowly receding figure, Kagome's jaw was hanging open and catching flies. She had never heard Sesshoumaru speak so much at one time, not to mention the fact that his words hadn't been insulting or degrading. He was almost like he actually _did_ care, or something ridiculous like that.

But no, that couldn't be it, he had to be mocking her. Right?

"And your aim is not entirely unfortunate, miko," he said distantly.

Her jaw snapped shut with an audible click and Kagome couldn't help but smile. Even though she knew he was just saying it to fulfill his part of their deal, it was still nice to hear a compliment that wasn't _entirely _backhanded.

And so, she clapped her hands in determination and picked herself up off the ground. "Okay, find pride in what I do?" A curious smile spread across her face. "Maybe... maybe I can do that."

The young priestess pulled back the string on her bow with a furrowed brow and released her arrow. She emptied her entire quiver and she didn't fall once.

***

Shigeru watched the scene below him unfold with increasing displeasure. He had finally found the girl he had scented a few days ago and she was indeed beautiful. She might not have been as regal or well-kept as his other brides, but there was a fire inside her that shone brighter than any maiden he had ever encountered. She was entrancing.

But, she was a miko, something he had not anticipated. She was not greatly proficient with her powers, but there was no doubt that she would be able to inflict damage upon his person. Perhaps even permanent damage. He did not relish the thought, nor did he relish the powerful magic that hung around her neck. Whatever it was it seemed to whisper for him to swoop in and take it, but he restrained, to do so would be suicide.

Miko were deadly powerful against even a great youkai such as himself, but fortunately she seemed to be untrained and had no real control over her true power. Unfortunately that was not the only obstacle he would have to overcome to procure this girl, because apparently she had a protector. And not just any protector, a _taiyoukai._

"Inconvenient," he murmured to himself and rubbed his chin. It was sheer luck that he had decided to watch the girl from the air instead of simply hiding amongst the trees, for if he had been in the trees, the taiyoukai would have most definitely detected him.

He was not entirely sure of the relationship shared between the two - it seemed to him as though they simply tolerated a begrudging camaraderie, but that did not make the youkai lord any less of a threat. Inuyoukai were known for their protective natures. Even if he only traveled with the girl, he would undoubtedly protect her to some extent were she to be threatened.

As it was it would be impossible to even approach her in the dog's presence, Shigeru was sure that he would never willingly allow her to stray from his senses. It would be nearly impossible to separate them... unless they separated of their own accord.

_Well, I believe it is time to plan a diversion, _he decided tiredly.

"Just wait, my pretty miko," he whispered, "I will have you yet."

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

Oh no, Shigeru has some shenanigans planned! That hooligan!

Anyway, reviews are like chocolate...they're both...delicious? Okay, maybe reviews aren't like chocolate, but they **are** nice!


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

**Author Note:**

Again, thanks to all of you who have reviewed! Us fanfic author's do this for free and the best kind of payment we can get is a nice review telling us our long hours typing over a hot computer are appreciated. :-)

* * *

Dread. It was not something that lord Sessoumaru, heir and ruler of the Western lands, felt often. It was not something he liked feeling, nor was it something he was comfortable acknowledging that he was even capable of feeling, but in this circumstance he decided that he should be allowed a little leniency on the matter.

"I have discovered something," Sesshoumaru informed the miko reluctantly as she trudged happily through the trees and into the clearing where they had made camp.

"Yeah? What is it?" She asked. She had just spent the better half of an hour digging arrows out of a tree, but she couldn't be happier. She was finally starting to get her powers under control and, strangely enough, it was all thanks to him.

He threw her a weary look. "Now, you must not get overly excited," he warned her. In the past few days he had come to learn her strange emotions, how she could be furious one minute and beaming the next, and his sensitive ears could only take so much of her unpredictable squealing.

"Okay..." Kagome drawled, urging him to spit it out.

"I have discovered a river in which you may bathe if you so desire."

"YOU WHAT!!!" Kagome exclaimed before quickly covering her mouth with one hand and giving him an apologetic look. "Sorry," she whispered.

_That woman could deafen an entire country with her damnable squealing, _Sesshoumaru grumbled to himself as he fought not to cringe.

He nodded once and tried to ignore the ringing in his ears. "If you continue walking for about a half mile, you should find it."

Kagome smiled widely at him, quickly squashed the ridiculous idea of dancing or joy, and rushed over to her bag to gather her bathing supplies and her pajamas.

"This is really nice of you," she said earnestly. "In fact, you've been uncharacteristically generous a lot tonight, are you sure you're feeling okay?" She laughed and looked over at the lounging demon.

Sesshoumaru looked back into her wide, brown eyes and noticed that he wasn't completely disgusted by what he saw. They were quite ordinary at first glance - comforting, but boring - but when she smiled, they shone with a mesmerizing quality that he couldn't quite place.

He was glad they weren't green, which he found to be much too bold, or blue, which he thought was a horribly calm color. And he was especially thankful they weren't those obnoxious hues that a majority of youkai females seemed to inherit. He had no desire to look upon a face with bright purple eyes staring back at him. There was an unnatural feel about them.

But not the miko's eyes, no, they were the definition of natural. It simply felt normal to look upon her face and see them looking back -expressive and mysterious and full of life.

And then he realized with a start that he _liked _looking into them, they were _nice._

Sesshoumaru scoffed and turned away, disgusted with himself.

In fact, he had been finding many qualities of the miko exceedingly tolerable over the past few days. Like how her hair always smelled of cherry blossoms even covered in dirt and sweat, or how she displayed her bruises and cuts without shame when most women would find such abrasions disgraceful.

And then there was her overwhelming innocence, her honesty, and her fiery spirit, which - surprisingly - he seemed to deem endearing, rather than life threateningly obnoxious.

But he needed to stop these ridiculous observations immediately. What was wrong with him? It was probably only because he had not ever spent so much time in a grown female's presence as he had with her. Besides his mother, she was the only woman he had spent time with outside of the battlefield and the bedroom. He was sure she would probably be quite ordinary if he had anyone to compare her to, no, she would probably be disgusting.

Yes, she was undoubtedly just a filthy, vile, ningen woman. He would not think of her in an agreeable matter ever again.

Decision made, Sesshoumaru stiffened.

"I merely do not wish to hear any more of your complaints," he told her with any and all emotion lacking in his voice. "They are grating to my ears."

"Ah, now I know there's nothing wrong with you," she smirked, "you're being a jerk again."

He merely narrowed his eyes and looked away, not even bothering to watch her as she left the clearing and headed off to bathe.

He let himself become absorbed in his own thoughts, trying to figure out what it was about this girl that seemed to cause him such irritation. He rarely socialized with females, but when he did, they never quite captured his attention as she had. Even if that attention was strictly limited to annoyance.

Of course he could appreciate a beautiful woman if he saw one, and he had _appreciated _them on several occasions, he just never really viewed them as anything other than entertainment. But the miko...she was not like them. She was entertaining, but in a different way.

Yes, they were constantly at odds, but it was not a fight that she provided, it was a challenge. Not a physical one, but a mental one, and that was something that he did not find very often. There was just something about her that made conversing much easier than he was used to. She was much too bold, extremely outspoken, and fearless to the point of stupidity.

Not only that, but she was _good - _he wondered if she had ever even told a lie in her whole, pathetic, ningen life. He doubted she could even if she tried.

She was his opposite: loud, indulgent, and innocent. But instead of clashing horribly, they seemed to almost balance each other out...in a strange, nonsensical sort of way.

He hated nonsensical things. He hated humans. He hated brash, irritating females. But for some reason, he realized, he did not _entirely _hate her.

He sighed; this train of thought was only succeeding in confusing him further. With practiced discipline, he dropped all previous thoughts from his mind and decided that the miko was taking a long time to bathe. She had been gone for over a half of an hour and he wondered if this was normal for ningen females. Rin did not take so long to cleanse herself, though, she did like to remain in the waters to play long after she was spotless.

He wondered if that was what was keeping Kagome - after all, she did act quite childish sometimes. But then again, she was a lot bigger than his ward, she would need more time to clean her adult body.

Wait...had he just referred to her as Kagome? When had _that _happened?

"AHHHHHHH!" A scream rang out into the night. Even from a half mile away, Sesshoumaru could hear the distress in her voice.

The youkai lord immediately jumped to his feet and took off towards the direction of the call, readying his claws for battle. They dripped with poison of their own accord, his control over them having been lost in his haste to reach the miko. His mind had gone blank and his heart fluttered uncomfortably in his chest. The feeling was unnerving, but he could not dwell on it now.

"GET AWAY! GET AWAY!" Kagome yelled.

He was close, he could smell her cherry blossom scent on the air.

Sesshoumaru burst through the trees and jumped lithely to land on a sturdy rock in the middle of the river the miko bathed in. He growled fiercely, but found no danger, that is, until he turned his gaze to the miko.

The girl's shriek nearly knocked him off his feet.

"SESSOUMARU! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" She screamed, wrapping her arms around her naked body as she quickly dropped back into the water with a splash.

The taiyoukai lord was incredibly confused. He did not sense, nor did he see, any danger. And adding to his befuddlement were her flustered, ear shattering yells. Not to mention the fact that he had just gotten a very brief, if not pleasant, view of her unclothed form. What was going on?

"You were distressed," he said, still blinking in confusion.

"Yeah! There was a snake!" She snapped, pointing to a very addled looking serpent splayed in the grass a few yards away.

She glared at the snake she had just thrown from the water before realizing that by removing her hand to point, she had once again let herself be exposed. She squeaked and quickly covered herself again.

"Would you get outta here? I'm naked you pervert!" She said indignantly with a noticeable blush on her cheeks. He noticed vaguely that the slight coloring was not entirely unfortunate.

"You are submerged," he said simply. "And even if you were not, your usual attire leaves very little to the imagination, I am confused as to why you now choose to be so modest."

"Hey!" She scoffed. "Water is _transparent_, and there's a difference between tastefully revealing and buck-naked!"

_'Tastefully revealing'? Is that what she calls it? _He almost rolled his eyes.

"Finish your bath, miko," Sesshoumaru said in his familiar bored tone. "I will leave before you become too agitated."

Kagome opened and closed her mouth in an odd mixture of anger, embarrassment, and simply not knowing what to say, as Sesshoumaru gracefully leapt from his perch and strolled off into the forest.

A million and one thoughts ran through his mind, so many that even his superior brain could not sort through them all. But the most pressing was undoubtedly why he had reacted so violently to her frightened call. He wanted to believe it was because her death meant his death as well, but his own livelihood had admittedly not crossed his mind until now.

Was he truly concerned for her safety? Perhaps he was. It was not the first time he had rushed to rescue a human. He had saved Rin many times from danger, but somehow this felt different...he didn't like it.

He would concentrate on other things.

Other things, such as the view he had just unexpectedly happened upon. Yes, now _that _was a distraction.

***

Ten minutes later the miko returned to their campsite to find the pompous taiyoukai leaning against a tree as usual. His head turned in her direction and looked her up and down once before smirking.

Coherent thoughts escaped her for a moment, before trusty anger took over. "Keep your eyes to yourself, lecher! And get that look off your face!" She said indignantly, throwing down her bath things and crossing her arms.

She was seriously considering becoming a nun. Yes, a chaste, modest, never to be seen without at least four layers of clothing, nun. She had barely been able to look Inuyasha in the face the first time he had accidentally seen her naked, but with Sesshoumaru... gah! It was too embarrassing to even think about!

_I need a lobotomy, _she thought distractedly.

"What look, miko?" He continued to smirk.

_What? Oh, right, he was ogling me! _She remembered.

"That look!" She said pointing to him forcefully. "That perverted look like you've seen all my... my bits and pieces!"

_'Bits and pieces?'_ Sesshoumaru quirked an amused brow as she again squeaked in frustration.

"Ugh, I finally think I'm getting a break from all the hormone crazed men by traveling with you, but turns out your just as bad as the rest of them!" She grumbled. "Well, I've had it, I'm going to bed!"

"Be watchful for serpents," he said lightly.

"Be watchful I don't purify your high and mighty behind into next week," she grumbled as she stomped over to the fire he must have started while she washed up.

And that just made her even angrier, because starting a fire for her was actually _considerate_ and all she wanted to do right now was hate him! What a jerk!

_Stupid dog? _Her mind supplied hopefully. _Okay, on second thought, I need _two_ lobotomies._

_***_

The hanyou was pacing, he had been pacing for the past few hours, making his companions wish he would just trip already and knock himself unconscious. But no, his head was much too hard for that.

"Inuyasha, would you kindly calm down, I am sure Lady Kagome will be here any minute," Miroku said irritably. He loved his friends, he really did, but sometimes they truly drove him up the wall.

"Damn girl is late again!" He growled to the monk unnecessarily. Miroku was just as aware of the miko's tardiness as Inuyasha was. Kagome was supposed to return this afternoon, but already the sun was setting and she still had not joined them.

"She will be fine, Inuyasha. From what I have heard of her time, I am sure she is perfectly safe," Sango said.

"Keh, like I care," he scoffed, "I just want to get back to finding the jewel shards and she's holdin' everything up!"

Shippou rolled his sparking green eyes, knowing perfectly well that hunting jewel shards was the farthest thing from the hanyou's mind at the moment. Whenever he was away from Kagome for too long he always got like this. Paranoid fool.

"I'm going to get her," he finally said, glaring at each of his companions as if daring them to tell him otherwise.

"Do what you must," Miroku sighed. What did he care if the hanyou wanted to get himself 'sat' into oblivion when he once again went to fetch Kagome before she was ready. It would not be _his_ spine he would have to realign.

Inuyasha hadn't even heard him, he was already running towards the well with a speed that surprised even himself. All day he couldn't shake the feeling that Kagome was in trouble, and as each hour passed without her return, he only grew more and more agitated.

_Hold on, Kagome, _he thought to himself. _I'm coming to get you._

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

Reviews = fuel

* Lobotomy: A surgical operation on a part of the brain to treat mental illness.

I don't know, this chapter was hard to write, don't know if I like it too much...whatever.

3 TWLOAP


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12_

**Author Note:**

I know a lot of you want to know when the action is coming, and don't worry, it'll get here soon, but just keep in mind I'm trying to build a plausible relationship between the two. Sesshoumaru isn't exactly mr. touchy-feely, and I like to think that it will take a lot of coaxing from Kagome to bring him out of his shell. So, basically I'm trying to say that I don't think it's rational that they would be traveling for a few days, have one or two conversations, and then fall madly in love with each other. Tis gonna be a bit before they start realizing that they wanna have hot, hot smex all over feudal Japan, but that day will come!

Good things take time, and I try to be as amusing in my banter as much as possible so, be amused and next chapter will have action. I promise!!!

* * *

Sesshoumaru had overcome many obstacles during the coarse of his long life. He had incinerated dragons, and leveled mountains, and destroyed entire armies with a single sweep of his sword. Yes, Sesshoumaru was a master by all senses of the word, but _this_ task... it escaped him.

He had no idea how to wake the slumbering miko.

"Miko," he said imperiously, looking down at the sleeping girl with cold eyes.

The miko mumbled something incoherent and rolled onto her other side.

He sighed and bit back a growl. Why did she have to make things so very complex? The past few days she had always awoken on her own, but today he had waited long past dawn and still she slumbered.

"Miko, we must depart," he tried again. "Wake up now or I shall continue without you."

"Nnngh," she grumbled, scrunching her face into an unpleasant grimace and waving her hand at him lazily.

The taiyoukai stepped closer to the girl and did the only thing he could think to do.

"OW!" Kagome yelled, rolling onto her stomach in surprise. She struggled free of her sleeping bag enough to turn over and glared at him. "Did you just kick me?"

"Yes," he shrugged. "You would not get up, I saw no other option."

"Of course there were other options! How would you like it if someone icked you awake?" She said grumpily, rubbing her poor appendix with much more gusto than was strictly necessary.

He merely raised a brow as if to say that he would never sleep so late as to require that he be woken up. Which was probably true, seeing as he was perfect and all. Jerk.

"Ugh, this is so not fair," she sighed to the sky and closed her eyes in frustration. _Haven't I been a good person? _She asked whoever had decided it would be horrendously funny to make a demon lord her own personal alarm clock. _Do I really deserve this?_

As if to answer, a bee landed on her nose.

"Awesome," she grumbled and swatted at the pesky insect - it buzzed at her and flew away.

"Miko, we do not have all day," Sesshoumaru said impatiently.

She sat up and huffed reproachfully as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Sorry, next time I'll just leave the bee on my face until it stings me. You know, just to save time."

Sesshoumaru shrugged, his eyes glazing over with boredom, clearly stating that it sounded like a good idea to him. She had the strangest urge to kick him in the shins and run away.

"I don't know why I'm complaining to you, it's not like you care," she mumbled and stood up, stretching her arms above her head to crack her abused back. Sleeping on the cold, hard ground was not all it had cracked up to be...not that it had ever cracked up to much in the first place. "I could be allergic to bees for all you know, and then it would sting me, and I'd go into anaphylactic shock, and you'd just watch as I died a horrible, swollen death." She yawned.

The inuyoukai wasn't quite sure what 'allergies' and 'anaphylactic' was, but it sounded horribly boring, and not worth his time. "Were you in danger of dying, I would have acted accordingly," he said, wondering why there was even the slightest chance that such a small insect could kill her. Were humans truly _that_ weak?

"Yeah, whatever," she rolled her eyes and went over to her bag, pulling out her plastic water bottle and taking a drink. When she was done with that she returned to her bag, hoping to find breakfast.

Sesshoumaru watched with growing impatience as the miko's search turned frantic and she began pulling out item after item from her pack. It might have been funny, were it not so time consuming. "What is the problem?" He sighed.

"There's no more!" She said, her lip pouting out comically as her hand went to her stomach. "All my food is gone! All I have are those stupid beans, and I am NOT having beans for breakfast."

He wasn't sure why she would bring beans with her if she had such an aversion to them, but he didn't particularly care. "Then you will have to go without breakfast," he said simply. "Now come, we have already wasted enough time."

Kagome gave him a sour look and began loading things back into her bag. "Fine, but can I at least change first, or do I have to walk around in my pajamas all day?"

Sesshoumaru thought that the attire she wore to sleep in was a great deal more wholesome than the skimpy yukata she had acquired, but he did not object, he simply walked out of the clearing to give her some privacy. Besides, there were worse sights to behold than her shapely legs, he noted. It certainly beat looking at trees.

Kagome waited until Sesshoumaru was out of sight and pulled on a champagne colored yukata. She wondered absently what the color was called in this day and age, obviously it was not called 'champagne' seeing as that drink would not be invented for some time, but there really wasn't any other word to describe it. Maybe she would ask Sesshoumaru.

An image of him scoffing at her and walking away came to mind and she quickly discarded that idea. On second thought, maybe she would just keep her big fat mouth closed and try not to embarrass herself anymore than she already had. Yes, that seemed like a splendid plan, she should follow it.

And so, Kagome hefted her bag onto her shoulders and followed after the youkai lord, determined to not do something stupid.

***

A few hours later Kagome had determined that 'stupid' and 'hungry' apparently coincided quite spectacularly. There must be some weird, proportional correlation between the two, because it seemed the hungrier she got, the more she seemed inclined to do something stupid... like bash that dumb can of beans against a rock and eat them with her fingers.

_God, I really hate beans,_ she thought miserably as her stomach growled again. _Can't this forest have a Ye Old Applebee's, or something? _Her stomach gave another unpleasant gurgle as if in agreement.

"Okay, that's it! I need food," Kagome huffed, stopping in her tracks and looking around as though expecting to find an abandoned hamburger with the work s laying on the forest floo r. They had been walking for at least four hours and she would not be able to go on without breakfast _and _lunch.

Sesshoumaru watched the girl as she searched the landscape around her and wondered what it was exactly that she hoped to find. There was nothing edible here for at least a good 5 miles, perhaps he should tell her that.

"There is no food here."

Kagome ignored him. "No, there has to be something: wild mushrooms, acorns, _something_."

"There are mushrooms," he said blandly, watching as her face lit up, "but they are poisonous." Her face fell and then promptly turned into a scowl.

"Thanks, that's helpful."

"I already informed you that there was no food here," he struggled not to growl. He expected her to yell, expected her to call him rude and tell him he was a jerk, but he did not expect her to slump in defeat and groan like an injured animal.

"Ugh, what am I supposed to do without food?" She said dejectedly. She knew that she had only skipped two meals, but walking non-stop took a lot of energy! If she didn't get something in her empty stomach soon, she would be gnawing on Sesshoumaru's leather boots by the end of the day, and she didn't think he would appreciate that too much. No, not at all.

Sesshoumaru shifted uncomfortably at the smell of sad, desperation leaking from the girl and took an unsure step towards her. "You will be fine?" She heard him say, though, it sounded more like a question than anything. It was almost like he was trying to comfort her, but didn't really know how.

_No, he's probably just trying to make sure I'm not going to pass out and he'd have to carry me, _Kagome reasoned. Her explanation was a lot more likely than him actually giving a damn about something other than... well, nothing.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she sighed and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "But the pathetic human will need food soon or she is going to pass out." She informed him.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "You will wait here," he commanded and then gave her a bland look. "If I return to find you dead, I will be forced to resurrect you and kill you myself." And with that he turned on his heal and jumped into the trees so fast he was nothing but a blur of white and red.

_Did he just... _Kagome thought dumbly, _did he just make a joke? Oh my god... I think he did._

Twenty minutes later Kagome was still mercifully alive and seriously considering braiding _another_ strand of her hair. She had already braided the front half, but the back was particularly hard to do, especially without a mirror. She was aware she probably looked ridiculous, but she couldn't help but feel like the left side of her head needed another damn braid!

It was at that moment that Kagome realized that her and boredom did not mix well. It was also at that moment that something small and red came flying at her head, causing her to shriek and dive to the ground. She heard a thud and opened her squinted eyes to see an apple rolling by her face.

"Miko, it is only fruit," Sesshoumaru said wearily, coming through the trees holding an arm full of said fruit. He dropped the apples by her head and took a step back. "It will be sufficient?" He asked.

She blinked, looked at the fifteen or so apples in front of her, and then looked back up to Sesshoumaru. "Uh, yeah... thanks."

He frowned, a significant step up from his normally blank face, but not exactly anything to celebrate about. "You are not satisfied?"

Kagome sat up and giggled. "No, I'm satisfied," she laughed. "It's just... how much do you think I eat?"

He looked at her, looked at the mound of apples, and shrugged as if to say 'that much'.

She giggled again. "Well, thanks, I appreciate it." She gave him one last smile before grabbing the nearest apple and biting into it. It was possible the best apple she had ever eaten, though, there may or may not have been a worm in it. Kagome liked to think that it was just a suspicious looking seed. She really hoped it was a seed.

Sesshoumaru watched with a detached interest as the miko consumed four pieces of fruit in rapid succession, eating around the core and then tossing it away. How strange, most people of this era simply ate the whole thing. Then again, on the list of 'strange things the miko does' this was certainly not at the top.

"Okay, THAT was a worm," she groaned, bringing Sesshoumaru out of his pointless musings. "I really miss pesticides."

The youkai lord raised a brow, "What is 'pesticides'?"

Kagome gave him a weird look. "Did... did you actually ask me a question?"

He simply glared at her.

"Oh," she muttered as if shocked. "Have you finally lost it?"

He scoffed. "I would consider the state of my hair style before making such accusations were I you, miko."

Kagome's hand reached up to feel the numerous braids adorning her hair and squeaked in embarrassment. "Hey, I was bored!"

"Indeed."

She hastily started running her fingers through her hair. "Now, do you want to know about pesticides or not?"

***

"See, and then you can jump over my piece like this," Kagome instructed, taking the little pebble and jumping it diagonally across the leaf. "And that means you get to take my piece off the board."

Sesshoumaru stared at the girl looking up at him expectantly. He glanced back down at the game she had been trying to explain to him, but he could not make heads nor tails of her crude gesturing and excited babble. "This is folly," he concluded.

"No, this is checkers," she corrected, rolling her eyes. She had finished explaining pesticides - and subsequently twentieth century agriculture - awhile ago and somehow their conversation had turned to board games. She wasn't entirely sure how they had switched from farmers to checkers, but she had decided that they were going to play this game come hell or high water. She had even drawn a game board in the dirt and gotten pebbles for his pieces and leaves for hers.

She was just about to try explaining it to him again when a gust of wind blew through their clearing and scattered all of her leaf pieces. They flew up and out of sight, just like her dwindling sanity.

"Fine, I guess we're done playing, it was a stupid idea anyway," she sighed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes moodily.

Sesshoumaru watched her expression fall and he shifted uncomfortably.

He mentally scowled at the unpleasant feeling this roused in his gut, willing it to go away. He did not like... feeling. It was not something he did often and not something he particularly enjoyed. As a youkai he was well versed in suppressing even the most dire of instincts, such as hunger and drowsiness, and he had been taught to ignore pain. Emotions were all but shunned in demon society, but being around Kagome made him feel many things he had always fought to repress.

"We will be arriving at a manor by nightfall tomorrow, perhaps we can play this 'checkers' there," he suggested before he could stop himself. He did not like when she got like this, the sadness he could smell on her surrounded him in an unpleasant fashion.

"Really?" Kagome said hopefully, her whole body seemed to immediately perk at his words. "You mean, you'd still play with me?"

Sesshoumaru only nodded his head curtly, but it was enough to bring a ridiculous smile to her face. "Okay!" She said brightly.

Soon after she packed up her things and they continued their southward journey. She was used to walking, she even liked walking, and walking with Sesshoumaru had become admittedly more enjoyable than she thought possible. They would bicker and argue, yes, but eventually he would simply fall silent and she could delude herself into thinking that she had come out victorious.

She liked delusion, it was a lot more satisfying than the reality that most times he preferred silence over her voice. And for once, Kagome found that she didn't mind the silence so much; the quiet that would stretch between them was strangely calming. She had never spent much time being silent, and she still wasn't very good at it, but she had come to appreciate simply walking beside someone without feeling the need to fill every moment with words. With him the silence wasn't awkward, it was almost _nice._

But, being who she was, she could only enjoy the quiet for just so long.

"What's your favorite color?" She asked, shifting her heavy pack to a more comfortable position. Now that it had the additional weight of ten or so apples, it wasn't exactly light.

Sesshoumaru almost stumbled he was so startled. "What?"

"You're favorite color, what is it?" She shrugged.

He looked away from her and scowled. She interrupted his peaceful meditations for this? Why did she wish to know such things? "Colors preference is trivial," he said distastefully after recovering from the shock of being asked such an absurd question.

"Ah, come on," she smiled playfully. "You've got to like some more than others, even if it is _trivial_."

He gave her a withering glare, but she only stared right back at him. "White."

Kagome frowned. "White isn't really a color."

"It is what I prefer," he shrugged.

"I thought you'd like red best," she mused. "You know, the color of blood and all."

"If I had liked red, I would have said so," he huffed irritably. She asked a question, he gave an answer, he did not see why the miko chose to make things so difficult.

"Okay... you like white," she said. "What else?"

He looked at her again, just staring into her questioning gaze.

"I mean, what else do you like?" She expanded. "All I've really ever really seen you do is fight and kill things, but that can't be the only things you do... right?"

He just kept staring at her. She wanted to smack his forehead and tell him to just answer the damn question.

"Okay, I'll tell you something _I _like, then," she rolled her eyes. "Let's see, what do I like to do..." She mused out loud, tapping her finger to her lip as she thought. "I know! I like to cook!"

He arched a brow, not quite knowing why she thought he would care.

"It's just therapeutic, you know?" She babbled. "You take a bunch of things that aren't very good by themselves, and mix them together to make something better. It's nice to be able to bring things together like that."

A mental image of someone throwing Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha into a pot and forcing them to get along came to mind and she had to force back a chuckle.

"Plus, if you mess things up, you can just toss it down the disposal and start again. Now, if only life worked the same way, things would be a whole lot easier," she sighed.

"Perhaps," he agreed. He did not know what a 'disposal' was, but her explanation of pesticides was confusing enough to deter him from making any further inquiries as to futuristic things. "But life would not be very interesting if one always achieved their desired outcomes."

"Probably not, but I've had enough 'interesting' to last me several lifetimes." She smiled at him then, a big, toothy sort of smile that no respectable youkai would ever indulge in. And suddenly he realized it was a pity that demon women so rarely did such things; he was sure they would look much prettier if they did.

"Maybe some time I'll cook you something, Sesshoumaru," she told him. "I may not be the best cook, but being from the future certainly does have its advantages when it comes to this."

_Like spices and sauces and... flavor, _she thought to herself, _everything in the past is just so bland!_

"I do not eat human food."

She stopped walking, surprising him enough to cause him to halt as well. "What do you eat then?" She asked as though in awe.

He stared at her for a moment longer, his expression betraying nothing. "Meat."

"People eat meat," she pointed out, her brow furrowing.

"_Raw_ meat."

"Pshhh, like that matters," she rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "In the future people eat raw meat all the time, I'm not too keen on the idea, but my brother likes his steaks _extra_ rare," she stuck her tongue out and made a face at the thought. She knew that rare and raw weren't exactly the same things, but it was close enough and he wouldn't know the difference. "And we eat raw fish too, it's called sushi," she added.

He scoffed. "That is preposterous, ingesting such things would surely make a weak ningen ill."

"Things in the future are a lot cleaner," she told him, "and we don't get sick like we do now."

He looked her over and noted that she did seem rather healthy for such a small, slender girl who lived the life of a nomad. "Hn."

Someday she'd have to ask him what _'Hn' _meant, because he sure seemed to say it a lot, and she still had no idea how to translate it. Then again, maybe he didn't even know what it meant himself.

"Well, like I said, I'm not too fond of raw meat, but I like sushi well enough. I could make that," she told him, but it sounded more like a question than a statement.

"Do as you wish" he said flatly, giving her an exasperated glare. Was it just her, or was every look he gave some sort of glare? There was a content glare, a confused glare, a murderous rage glare - glare, glare, glare. Really, would it hurt him so much to change it up a bit? Perhaps he could watch, or gaze upon, or _leer._

Kagome snorted, as if he would find anything worth leering at.

She started walking again and he did too, walking beside her, but always slightly ahead.

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

Like I said, action is coming. I promise. There will be fighting and blood and screaming and other...stuff. It'll have you screaming "THIS IS SPARTA!!!" or "HELLZ YEAH!!!" or something like that.

Anywho, please, please, PLEASE review! Reviews are like fuel; they keep me happy and a happy author is a productive author.


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13_

**Author Note:**

DestinysTears = Uber beta and I think we might have to get married.

Sorry for being kind of MIA the past few days, I haven't been answering reviews and such and haven't really been on the internet at all, but I have excuses don't worry! My senior ball was last weekend and my senior bash was yesterday (basically a school endorsed party with lots 'o free stuff lol) but yeah, I have been busy. Soooooo, also, I just want to let ya'll know that for now my unofficial update day is gonna be Sunday. Every Sunday I'll update, unless you make me very happy, then I might update sooner.

Okay, I know I promised mind-blowing action, but then I realized that the particular chapter I was thinking of is...not this one lol. This one does have action, and a bit of romance (finally!), but the intensity I was think of comes a bit later. It's worth the wait though.

**_I Have a question for everyone at the end of this chapter so, read the chapter note!_**

* * *

"Inuyasha?" Miroku called down the well as another clump of dirt flew past his head to join the growing pile a few yards away. "What, may I ask, are you doing?"

"Digging," he said shortly.

Miroku glanced over his shoulder to Sango and shrugged before gazing back down into the depths of the well. "And why, may we ask, are you digging?"

"To find Kagome, idiot!" He growled and the steady flow of flying dirt increased.

Miroku shot another glance at Sango. They had been waiting for Inuyasha to return to them with an angry Kagome on his back for some time now, but they had eventually decided to head back towards Kaede's village and see what was keeping them so long. When they had arrived they found nothing but a severely disgruntled - and not to mention filthy - hanyou.

"Kagome-chan has not returned then?" Sango asked worriedly.

"Can't ya see that!" Inuyasha spat and jumped out of the hole to land lithely on the well's lip. "And this stupid thing won't let me go after her either!"

Miroku quirked a brow. "Perhaps it is broken?"

"Keh, it ain't broken," he scowled, but his worry was evident in his eyes. "It still reeks like magic. I'd know if it was broken."

"Wait, look at this!" Shippou called frantically, pointing to something in the grass.

Sango went over to the kit and picked up the item that had caught his attention. "It is Kagome-chan's bow."

Miroku's brow furrowed. "Then maybe Inuyasha cannot get through the well because Kagome is not on the other side?"

But Inuyasha wasn't listening to him, he had walked over to Sango and was now staring at the bow in her hands with wide eyes. "Kagome takes this thing with her everywhere she goes," he murmured. "She would never leave it behind."

"Ah, so ye have come finally," an old, raspy voice called. They all turned to see Kaede emerge from the trees with a serious look on her face. "I need to talk with ye immediately."

"What is it, ya old hag!" Inuyasha demanded. "You better tell us what the heck is going on!"

Kaede scowled. "I believe Kagome has been taken. Now, come with me and we shall discuss this over some tea."

***

"I am to believe that you require food yet again?" Sesshoumaru asked her wearily. For some reason the idea that she wanted something else besides apples, apples, beans, and more apples was absolutely ridiculous to the taiyoukai. And since she really didn't want to explain what happens to humans concerning their bowels when one eats too much fruit or ingests beans, she hoped pouting would work.

"Yes, it's dinner time," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "And if it's really such a big deal I'll just eat the apples, geez! I thought you would be happy for the chance to go and slash something to bits."

"I could kill animals in my sleep, miko. They are hardly a challenge."

"Well, if it's so easy, then it shouldn't take you very long," Kagome smiled sweetly and added another log to the fire she was making.

Sesshoumaru would have really liked to add _her_ to the pile of logs and set it ablaze, but then she might end up doing something incredibly irritating...such as dying. And that would be terribly inconvenient - not to mention the fact that burning flesh was not the most pleasant of smells.

"Do not wander," he told her sternly, waiting until she nodded her head in agreement before slinking off into the trees.

_Where in the heck would I go anyway?_ She thought as she watched his shining hair disappear into the darkness. An image of a very angry Sesshoumaru finding her lost and disoriented in some random part of the forest, demanding to know why she had 'wandered' came to mind. _Oh, I wanted to see if the trees a mile away from here were just as boring as the ones back at camp. Good news. They are._

She rolled her eyes and dropped a match into the fire pit, watching as it caught the dry leaves and twigs at the bottom, sending bright orange flames up towards the thicker logs. Now that she thought about it, she supposed that she should have been a little more specific as to what 'dinner' for a human implied. Sesshoumaru was obviously oblivious when it came to human behavior...even though he had basically adopted a human child. But maybe Jaken took care of things like feeding and providing for her.

Well, whatever. She just really hoped he would at least bring back something normal and not a bear, or a mountain lion, or something weird like that.

_Ew, bear, _she thought distastefully, _can't imagine that would taste very good._

And just then, as though the universe had been reading her thoughts and decided that she really needed a little more irony in her life, her spiritual powers twitched.

Slowly she turned around to face - wait for it - a _bear _youkai.

"So, I suppose you've come to eat me, then," she sighed, giving the low-level demon a sour look.

The bear simply grunted and stared at the shards resting against her chest with wild, crazed eyes.

_Damn it! _She cursed inwardly as she tried to reach for her bow as discretely as possible. _Why do I keep forgetting these things make me such a danger magnet?_

Her fingers closed around her bow as the bear let out a ferocious roar and charged towards her. It's massive paws - at least twice the size of a normal bear's - pounded against the ground like thunder, the earth shaking beneath her shoes as she spotted her ammunition. Acting quickly, she rolled to the side and jumped to her feet, grabbing an arrow out of her quiver as she went. Experience guided her movements as she nocked her arrow and turned to face the youkai in one fluid motion.

She had one shot, her quiver was too far away for her to reach now, and if she missed...well, she just wasn't going to think about that. She narrowed her eyes in concentration and her arrow sparked to life, glowing pink with her power.

The bear hesitated for a moment, but the insanity brought about by the presence of the Shikon shards eventually won out. He continued to charge at her wildly, his claws and fangs glinting in the firelight. Kagome had to be sure though - she couldn't risk him dodging her arrow. She would have to wait until he was almost right in front of her.

Her fingers tightened as she waited.

And then, out of no where, something hard hit her in the head, knocking her to the ground. She watched in horror as her arrow slipped from her fingers, shooting uselessly right past the bear's shoulder. She tried to struggle to her feet only to fall back to the ground in a sense of vertigo. She felt the back of her head and found blood.

_Oh good, now I'm too dizzy to stand, _she thought frantically. She lowered her hand and refocused her attention to her impending doom, wondering if the bear would maim her first and take the shards, or just devour her and the shards whole.

But when she looked back to the bear she found a strange sight indeed. Her attacker was now being attacked, which would have been a relief, that is if the bear's attacker was not another mindless demon probably lured here by the shards.

There, in the middle of the clearing, a vicious bear and a horrible eagle youkai were locked in a deadly battle. She noticed, with a hint of annoyance, that the eagle youkai had blood on its talons. _Her _blood. It had knocked her away from the bear so that it could claim the shards instead.

Kagome's brain started working furiously, telling her that she should probably take this chance to escape, and that maybe running away was a good idea, and hey, wouldn't fleeing into the trees be nice?

Kagome was inclined to agree, and so, she started to crawl away as quietly and quickly as possible. But just as soon as she had started, she was stopped by a terrifying, blood curdling screech. She spun around just in time to see the bear clamp down on the eagle's neck and snap it.

The now dead bird hung limply in his jaws before falling to the ground in a pile of feathers and blood. The bear growled as it refocused on Kagome.

"Running, miko?" It hissed in a voice so jagged and rough it was barely understandable. "I don't think so." And it lowered it's massive head and charged once again.

_I'm going to die_, she thought to herself as she stared, transfixed at the demon.

He was three strides from her.

_No one is going to save me, _she realized.

Two strides.

_This is NOT how it's supposed to happen, not NOW! _She thought viciously, tears of anger running down her face.

He was right in front of her, leaping into the air, his teeth bared, and Kagome held up her hands instinctively.

And then, something amazing happened: she didn't die.

Her hands grew hot, glowing a pink so bright it was almost white. It blinded her, deafened her, stopped her heart. She couldn't breath, she couldn't blink, and it seemed that all time had stopped except for her. And then, slowly, it all restarted. The light faded, she gasped for breath, her heart thudded in her chest, and she was hit by a cloud of black, stinking ashes.

"What the-" she coughed as she inhaled the thick, powdery ash.

"Hn," a deep voice murmured from the trees.

Kagome turned her head towards the noise to discover Sesshoumaru leaning casually against a tree.

"Apparently our excursion to the village was quite unnecessary," he said thoughtfully.

"W-what?" Kagome managed to rasp. She was still thoroughly confused about what had just happened - hadn't a giant bear youkai been about to mangle her? She was pretty sure she hadn't imagined that.

He raised a brow. "Your bow, you did not need it."

Kagome looked down at the pile of ashes scattered across the grass and finally understood what had happened. The youkai hadn't just miraculously disappeared; she had purified the bear with her hands and _only _her hands. "I...wow," she whispered.

"Indeed," he agreed.

And then she was hit be another realization. "Wait, so you were there the whole time! You just watched me almost get killed!"

He shrugged. "I arrived as the bear defeated the eagle."

"Still, that was more than enough time for you to intervene! I could have _died_!" She yelled, staring at him in disbelief.

"I sensed the spike in your spiritual power well before the bear was upon you, I was curious as to what you would do," he said uncaringly as he began walking towards her, dragging something behind him.

"You-you jerk!" She huffed, crossing her arms. "What if nothing happened and I really did die?"

He stopped in front of her and looked off into the trees as though deep in thought. "I would have enjoyed the silence," he finally decided, returning his gaze to her.

Kagome really wanted to throw demon ashes in his eyes, but she figured that wouldn't help her whole "not being killed tonight" plan.

"Fine," she huffed, picking herself up off the ground and brushing the ashes from her clothes. "Did you at least get some food?"

He scowled and dropped a dead deer at her feet.

"EEEK!" She squeaked as it hit the ground with a sickening thud. It's head lolled awkwardly in her direction, the deer's glassy, black eyes staring unseeingly at her. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

He raised a brow. "Eat it...or cook it and then eat it if you prefer."

"But it's still got all its fur and...stuff," she said lamely, nudging it's hoof with her foot as though checking to make sure it was really dead and not just pretending.

"Then skin it."

"Ew," Kagome said again, looking up at him with a disgusted expression on her face. "I can't do that! It's gross! Plus, I don't even think I would know how - Inuyasha always does that stuff."

"Are you suggesting that I clean your meal for you?" He asked coldly.

Kagome only pouted out her bottom lip and stared up at him with wide, pleading eyes. He glared at her protruding lip and wondered that if he bit it, would she put it back...somehow the idea was far more enjoyable than it should have been.

"Miko, you are possibly the most troublesome creature I have ever had the misfortune of traveling with," he sighed, forcing his gaze away from the girl's mouth and back towards the dead deer. The latter was much less satisfactory to look upon.

"I'm probably the _only _creature you've been forced to travel with," she smirked as she made her way back towards the fire, happy that she wasn't going to have to dig out deer innards for the next hour.

"No, I have traveled with my father and even he was not as bothersome," he countered as he sliced through the stomach of the deer with one of his claws.

Kagome looked away and focused on less disgusting things...such as the ground. "So, what was your father like?" She asked as a series of sickening ripping and squishing sounds came from Sesshoumaru's direction. She had always wondered what Inuyasha's father had been like, seeing as Myouga never seemed very inclined to talk about him, and Inuyasha didn't even know him.

But Sesshoumaru knew him, maybe the only person still alive who truly did.

There was a pause and a few more disgusting noises during which Kagome waited. She began to think that he wasn't going to answer her when finally he spoke. "He was the Lord of the West before me and the most feared demon in all of Japan."

There was a rustle of silk as Sesshoumaru walked over to her and handed her a stick with a sizable portion of meat on the end. She took it and lowered it into the fire as he sat down and stared into the flames before him. It was the first time, she realized, the first time he had ever chosen to sit near her instead of just lurking on the edge of darkness against a tree.

"No, that is what the Inu no Taisho was like. I want to know what your _father_ was like," she said.

His gaze shifted to her. "The Inu no Taisho was my father. They are the same."

Kagome simply shook her head. "No they aren't," she insisted. "I could tell you that I am a miko, but that's not what I truly am. I make friends with youkai, and get kidnapped by gods, and take calculus tests. Now, is that how you would ever describe a priestess?"

Sesshoumaru was silent.

"See, they _are _different," she said as she turned the stick to cook the other side of the meat. "I am a miko, but I'm also Kagome."

Sesshoumaru looked back to the fire and furrowed his brow. "He once told me that the only sound more beautiful than the singing of a blade, was that of a woman's voice," he said quietly, startling the young miko - she hadn't really expected him to respond. "For one signified that which you must protect and the other gave you the power in which to do it."

He looked back to Kagome with an intense expression, as though he had just tried to explain some horrible complexity only to be unsatisfied with his description. "That is how I would describe my father - the only thing he loved more than fighting was love itself."

"Oh," Kagome said, stunned. Whatever response she had expected from the taiyoukai, it was definitely not this. It was almost poetic. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye only to discover that he was still looking at her. She found herself unable to look away. "He sounds honorable."

"He was a foolish man," he corrected quietly, his gaze drifting back towards the fire, but not entirely releasing Kagome from her trance. She was mesmerized by the way the flames seemed to reflect of his pale skin, dancing across his cheeks, making him seem brighter, warmer. Even his hair seemed to glow, like a river under a sunset.

"You are bleeding," he said abruptly, causing Kagome to blush and look away. Her hand went to the cut at the back of her head and found that it was, indeed, still bleeding.

"That stupid bird came out of nowhere," she grumbled.

"Turn your head."

"W-what?" Kagome stuttered, looking back towards the taiyoukai only to find him staring at her expectantly.

"Turn your head so that I may see," he said again, his tone impatient.

Kagome hesitated and then very slowly shifted so that the back of her head was facing him. His fingers came up to slide over the wound, she could feel the tips of his claws prick against her skin, but he made sure not to scratch her. An involuntary shudder ran up her spine and her tummy started doing some weird acrobatics routine that had certainly not endorsed. Were his hands always this soft? His ministrations were almost tender as he gently prodded the flesh around the jagged edge of the wound. But no matter how tender he might have been she couldn't help the small hiss of pain from her lips.

"It is not deep," he concluded, pulling away as Kagome turned back to face him - he was looking at her blood that now coated the tips of his fingers. They both stared at it for a few seconds before he shrugged slightly, brought them up to his mouth, and licked them clean, not bothering to notice Kagome's slightly disgusted and slightly fascinated expression.

"Do not let that burn," he interjected after his fingers were once again spotless.

"What?" Kagome said stupidly, finally looking away.

"You're food, do not let it burn," he clarified, standing up in a flurry of silk and hair, making his way over to a tree at the far end of the clearing.

Kagome pulled the slightly charred meat from the fire and looked over to him. She noticed that he must have removed the eagle youkai and deer carcasses before coming to join her. "Aren't you gonna eat anything?" She wanted to know.

"I...am not hungry," he said, a strange edge to his voice.

"Oh, okay," she said and turned back towards the fire, tried to forget the weird - yet strangely warm - feeling his touch had conjured, and bit off a piece of meat. _Hmmm, needs ketchup._

He watched her as she ate her meal in silence and tried not to breath. He had not expected her blood to effect him so; it tasted of sweetness and spice and power, and it taunted him, telling him to take more. He had not licked her blood from his fingers to purposely taste it, he simply wanted to clean his fingers and since there was no water near by it seemed like the only logical solution. But now that he had, he knew that he would never again find anything as satisfying.

Even now it mocked him, the scent of it spilling from her wound that had not yet closed. But he was not some eager young pup, he had far too much dignity and self restraint to let himself drool over some ningen's blood...he just hoped that blasted wound would close soon.

"You did well," he heard himself say, trying to turn his thoughts away from her blood. It was his obligation to provide the miko with a compliment, but he truly was impressed with the power she had wielded. "But perhaps I should not leave you unattended in the future."

She grinned. "Uh oh, I think somebody might actually find me tolerable."

_Tolerable, amusing, delicious, _his mind added.

"Hardly."

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_Roses are red._

_Violets are blue._

_Look, I just rhymed._

_You should review._

I am the Edgar Allen Poe of poetry when it comes to begging for reviews. Obviously. Just look at that poem. It's pure gold lol.

**_***Question: This story is probably going to hit 100 reviews soon (on ) and I would like to make something to show my appreciation. So, is there any certain scene from my fic that you would like to see illustrated? I'll post a drawing on deviant art and here when I reach 100. Please let me know!***_**


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14_

**Author Note:**

So I'm updating early because...i don't know, I feel like it I guess. I'm having writer's block - sort of - and maybe some feedback will help me get the gears turning again...or something.

Only one review last chapter? Sigh, sadness. Okay, I'm over it, now read on!

* * *

Sesshoumaru, as Kagome was coming to learn, was a master of what she liked to call the _almost_ emotion.

If he was displeased he would _almost_ frown, if he was amused he would _almost_ smirk, and if he was happy - which was rare unless something was losing its head - he would _almost_ smile. It was just a ghost of the actual emotion, the tiniest change in his usually marble facade that would easily be missed by anyone who had not spent a significant amount of time with the demon lord. Like the tip of an iceberg , you could only see the very top. You knew the rest was under the water, but it was hidden by darkness and shadows and giant, dog demon egos.

Okay, maybe giant dog demon egos were strictly limited to Sesshoumaru, but whatever.

The point was that Kagome had become quite accustomed to the perfected subtlety of her taiyoukai companion. So much so that when she woke up one morning to find him smiling, Kagome almost wet her pants.

"AH!" She yelled and immediately jumped to her feet to look for the demon that had obviously taken control of his mind. She didn't find any thing and he was still smiling so, she thought it would be a good idea to yell again. "AH!"

"Stop your yelling, miko," he told her with a gleeful glint in his golden eyes.

"Not until you tell me who you are and what the hell you've done with Sesshoumaru!" She said in a slightly hysterical tone that would have been funny if she wasn't so seriously freaked out.

Sesshoumaru stopped smiling but the tiniest hint of a smirk remained on his lips. "What makes you believe I am not Sesshoumaru?"

"You're smiling."

"I found something amusing."

"Yeah? And just what, may I ask, was so 'amusing'?" Kagome said suspiciously. She wasn't sure what was going on here, but she had never, NEVER, seen Sesshoumaru smile. Even if it wasn't an_aw, you make me smile_ smile, but a _your human failings are amusing to this Sesshoumaru, _smile. It was still a smile and the fact that it had been on his face was hard to believe. She would have thought it was impossible had she not seen it first hand, and even now she wasn't sure this wasn't some strange delusion.

"Are you aware that you talk while you sleep, miko?" He asked.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "No."

"Ah...I see," he said and then fell silent, though, his mocking eyes remained on her.

Kagome slumped where she stood and had to fight the urge to scratch her head in confusion. His explanations for his actions - as always - were lacking, and she really wasn't in the right state of mind to try and make heads or tails with his...enigma-ness.

Or to make actual words it would seem.

She was half asleep, half scared out of her mind, and half pissed off that he was obviously smiling at something that she had done.

She then, of course, realized that it was impossible for someone to be three-halves something, which is also when she decided that maybe she was drunk, or tripping on some wild mushrooms. She should probably just go back to sleep.

"Okay, I'm just going to go back to bed and pretend this never happened," Kagome said slowly as she started to crawl back into her sleeping bag. "Obviously you're not yourself right now, just sort out what you need to sort out and wake me up when you're done."

Kagome closed her eyes and wondered vaguely if Hell was going to start freezing over, or perhaps she would see a pig flying across the horizon later today. Heck, she could wake up naked and covered in chocolate and the world would still make more sense than it did in this moment.

"I have _pretty_ _hair_, miko?"

Kagome's eyes flew open. "W-what did you say?"

"It is not what I said, it is what _you_ said," he explained with that infuriating smirk still on his face. "Apparently you are quite fond of this Sesshoumaru's hair."

Kagome squeaked with embarrassment. The truth was that this morning she _had _been dreaming something of that nature. It wasn't a dream she frequented often, and it was certainly not the most dignified dream, but it had been innocent enough...until now.

It was a dream world in which an impossibly docile demon lord with silky, silver hair allowed the overly zealous miko to touch his holy head. She was probably mentally unstable for dreaming of something so stupid, but his hair was a gift to the world, dang it! Seriously, it looked like it was made of magic and happiness! And it was always right in front of her, just an arms reach away, tempting her to touch it. Unfortunately she knew that if she dared to get her grubby little ningen paws anywhere near his impeccable locks she would probably lose an arm.

Gods if she didn't wonder if losing an arm would be worth it - after all, she had two.

But just because she thought his hair was so wonderful didn't mean that he needed to know that. She never wanted to let Sesshoumaru know that she sometimes stared at his seemingly flawless hair while it blew in the wind, or really, really wanted to braid it just to see if it would feel as soft as it looked. No, she NEVER EVER wanted him to know that.

But apparently she had gone and blabbed everything in her sleep.

Kagome wished it were possible to die from humiliation - at least then she wouldn't have to look at that stupid smirk on his face.

"Oh, kill me now," she groaned and buried her red face in her hands. "Go on, I know you want to! Just put me out of my misery."

_My life sucks! _She inwardly screamed.

"Miko, I am not not unaware of the effect my appearance has on females, I just did not expect the same reaction from you," he said in his usual monotone. He may have returned to being bored and uncaring, but Kagome had the distinct impression that he was still highly amused by this whole thing.

Sadistic bastard.

"Well, I only said your hair was pretty, how do you know I don't think the rest of you is hideous?" She challenged through her fingers. She wasn't ready to take her hands away from her face and expose her tomato red complexion; this situation was humiliating enough without her changing colors.

Sesshoumaru cocked an elegant brow as if saying, 'you've got to be kidding me'.

_Arrogant dog! Arrogant, god-like, ridiculously attractive, really good looking...wait, where was I? Oh yeah! That jerk!_

"Okay, okay, you're definitely not hideous," she sighed in defeat. "But good looks aren't everything you know!" She said adamantly, pointing a harsh finger at him while throwing him a meaningful glare.

Sesshoumaru looked at her finger and then back at her - unimpressed.

Kagome's finger wavered and then fell as she cleared her throat and shifted awkwardly. Somehow she got the distinct impression that she had lost the point of the conversation.

_'Good looks aren't everything'? _She repeated in her mind with disgust. _What am I? Five?_

Kagome looked back over to Sesshoumaru and found that he was still staring at her, probably wondering if she was going to strip naked and dance around, because obviously that was the only way she hadn't made a complete fool out of herself yet.

"So what, I like your hair," she huffed, crossing her arms. "You know what else I like? Not being filthy. So, maybe you could take a few seconds out of your very important 'mock the miko' time and point me in the direction of the nearest stream."

The taiyoukai glared at her. "Miko, I believe we agreed you would not be left unaccompanied again."

"You are _not_ watching me wash myself," she told him flatly, another blush creeping up on her at the very thought.

He watched as the blood beneath her skin pooled in her cheeks, turning them a pleasant rose, and suddenly he was reminded of last night. The fire light dancing across her pale skin, the scent of her intoxicating blood on the air... it was... disconcerting.

Standing, he flicked his hair over his shoulder haughtily. "Well, perhaps I am desirous of a bath for a change." And he turned on his heal and walked off into the forest.

Kagome stared at the spot where he had just been for a few, unproductive seconds before realizing that he had just left her there to find the stream on her own. She cursed under her breath, grabbed her bag, and followed after him.

Sesshoumaru smirked to himself as he heard the miko's frantic footfalls chasing after him. He knew that she would follow him - her stubborn nature overridden by her discomfort of being left behind. It was much easier than arguing with her at any rate, especially when he could barely control his thoughts.

Yes, perhaps a quick wash would be nice. He could still smell her blood on his fingers, still taste it on his tongue, and it was much too distracting.

Kagome, in the meantime, was experiencing a certain amount of distraction herself. She raced through the trees as fast as she could manage, but it seemed that he wasn't going to give her the chance to keep up. Stupid jerk. And since she couldn't see him the only thing that told her she was going in the right direction was his demonic aura, which wasn't exactly an easy thing to concentrate on while trying to dodge branches and roots.

In fact, she was so distracted that she didn't even notice that Sesshoumaru had stopped moving until she burst through the trees and nearly ran into his back. His sculpted, extremely nice, very masculine, bare back.

_Oh my, _her brain commented as her feet continued on autopilot.

SPLASH! Kagome tripped head first into the stream.

Sesshoumaru lowered the cloth he had been using to wash himself with and turned to stare at the girl. "Miko, what are you doing?" he asked as she sputtered and splashed her way into a sitting position.

Her hair was in her face, there was mud between her fingers and undoubtedly all over her back side, and she was pretty sure she may have swallowed a mouthful of algae. _Looking for my dignity? Attempting to grow gills? Trying to drown before I can embarrass myself even more than I already have? _She grumbled to herself.

Kagome pushed the wet hair out of her eyes and stared at her legs moodily. "I'm making a collect call, wouldn't happen to have any quarters would you?"

Sesshoumaru racked his brain for a moment before deciding that perhaps the miko was messing with him. "Do not be facetious," he scoffed.

She snorted. "Wouldn't dream of it."

When she made no move to remove herself from the stream Sesshoumaru started to grow impatient. "I was not aware humans bathed with their clothes on," he said dryly, dipping the cloth back into the stream and then bringing it up to scrub his chest.

_Shiny, _her mind drooled.

"I wasn't aware you bathed at all," she mumbled, a blush creeping over her cheeks as she tried to look away. Funny, but she could have sworn she heard her eyes protest as she averted them to her lap.

_Get a grip Kagome, _she mentally slapped herself, _you always knew he was attractive, now he's just a little more...exposed._

"That is ridiculous, how else would I stay clean?" He asked, perplexed.

Kagome shrugged sloppily. "I don't know...you scare the dirt away?"

He just raised a brow.

_Way to go Kagome, that made loads of sense, _she chided herself.

"Whatever, you bathe, I bathe, we all bathe! Now, can you put a shirt on!" She snapped, trying really hard not to blush and failing miserably. Thankfully he still had his hakama on...she didn't even want to imagine what her face would be doing if he didn't.

_It would probably just explode, _she mused to herself.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his bare torso. "Does this bother you, miko?" He asked, an amused smirk playing on his lips as he removed the cloth from his chest to expose him and all his muscley glory.

Kagome only huffed and crossed her arms, her sopping clothes making an odd squishing sound as the wet fabric slapped together.

"Have you never seen a man's chest before?" He tried again.

"Of course I have!" She said stubbornly and then mumbled, "just not very often."

_And never one so attractive, _her treacherous brain piped in. _Shut it brain! Or I'll give us a concussion, I swear!_

"I see," he said, the smirk fading as he suddenly became very distracted, "but perhaps you should be concerned about your own modesty at the moment."

Kagome lifted her backpack out of the stream and watched as several liters of water began to pour out. "Huh?" She asked airily, she was too busy thinking about the fact that all of her worldly possessions were now completely soaked to concentrate on deciphering his cryptic messages.

"I believe you may be... cold," he said.

She tossed her pack onto the grass and started the incredibly complicated task of unsticking herself from the mud. "Of course I'm cold! This water is freezing," she grumbled, finally managing to stand.

Sesshoumaru gave an exhausted sigh and cleared his throat meaningfully, looking down at her chest and then promptly looking away as though he was very interested in the clouds.

"What are you..." Kagome looked down. "EEEP!" She squealed and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, her face turning a red so bright she was sure she could direct air traffic with it. "Why didn't you say something! Pervert!"

_Wet, shirt plus skin is NOT good! _She thought hysterically.

"I did say something," he pointed out.

"Well... that-that's not the point!" She stuttered, collapsing onto the nearest rock and sniffing in a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and total misery. "And now my bag, and everything in it, is soaked!"

The taiyoukai sighed and picked up his carefully folded haori and obi from the rock he had rested his things on. "You may cover your person with these until your things are dry," he said stiffly, holding them out to her without looking at her. "But, I suggest you divest yourself of your filth before hand."

Kagome looked up at him, "Really?"

"I am not in the habit of repeating myself," he warned.

"Thanks," she mumbled, feeling like a jerk for calling him a pervert. He was obviously just trying to warn her.

At least he hadn't made it too awkward; Inuyasha would have gaped at her before exploding into a tirade embarrassed nonsense. She used to find his boyish reactions endearing, but after awhile they were more than just a little tiring. She understood that by hanyou standards Inuyasha was still just a teenager, but he killed things for a living! If that didn't force someone to grow up, she didn't know what would. After all, Sesshoumaru was still a young adult by demon standards, but he seemed to have the maturity of an eighty year old man!

In fact, now that she thought about it, it was kind of nice to travel with someone who had more than just an ounce of maturity for a change.

"I'll go wash up now," she said sheepishly as she took his offerings, careful not to get any mud on the impeccable clothing.

He gave her a curt nod and she gave him a quick smile before turning on her heel and disappearing around the nearest bend in the river.

Obviously he didn't watch the way the thin, wet, now almost translucent cloth, clung to her hips as they swayed. Of course he didn't have to concentrate on not following after her and offering to help her out of those dirty clothes. No, none of those things and or thoughts could possibly have crossed him mind, because he was far too busy counting to ten thousand.

Obviously.

Kagome, in the meantime, was climbing out of the water feeling significantly less mud-covered than before. She shook herself free of water as best she could before slipping on Sesshoumaru's haori and tying the bright obi around her waist to keep it closed. It was long enough that it fell to her knees, and the sleeves were almost as long, effectively hiding her arms entirely.

She rolled the sleeves as best she could and gathered her ruined clothes, heading back towards her demon companion with a skip in her step.

But when she finally reached him, all of her playful happiness evaporated.

There he was, standing on the bank of the stream and staring at the clouds as though they held all the secrets in the world and would reveal them if only you looked hard enough. He was beautiful, Kagome realized: his silver hair dancing about his bare waist as it blew in the wind, his pale skin gleaming in the midday sun, the flawless magenta stripes that adorned his hips.

The only flaw in his entire body was the stump where his left arm had once been, but even it had a sense of perfection. The skin was smooth and soft instead of gnarled and mangled as it should have been.

Kagome sat down on a rock - suddenly she felt sick.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was very busy. In fact, he was so busy he hadn't even realized the miko had joined him. Of course he had sensed her coming, had smelled her on the wind, but his mind seemed unable to process what that meant because he was just so darn busy. Yes, he was very, very busy doing anything but thinking about the fact that Kagome was wearing his haori and nothing else.

A stoic, demon lord he may be, but he was also a man, and it seemed that this scantily clad miko would not allow him to forget it.

_One-hundred and forty-seven clouds in the sky, _he mentally calculated. _The wind is blowing from the southeast, it would take approximately fourteen seconds to slice that tree into sixteen equal pieces, the full moon is in three days, Kagome is currently naked under my clothing, if I...damn._

"I'm sorry," Kagome muttered, completely unaware of the inuyoukai's internal struggle.

Sesshoumaru nearly jumped in surprise, but restrained himself so that only his eyes flickered in her direction. "Hm?" He questioned.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, her eyes turning to the ground. "About your arm... I mean you _were _trying to kill us... but I always felt bad..." Kagome sighed and took a deep breath. "What I mean is - I'm sorry about what happened to your arm."

Sesshoumaru looked at her hunched form and shrugged. "It was not you who cut it off."

Kagome peaked up at him shyly from beneath her lashes. "I know, but I was there, I gave Inuyasha the Tessaiga," she said sullenly. "Aren't you mad?"

She watched as he frowned slightly and very slowly walked over to sit beside her. For a second she thought he had decided that she did have a point, that he _should _be mad and was coming over to chop off her arm as payment. But apparently that wasn't the case.

Which really was a relief; she liked her arm.

And so, realizing he wasn't expecting any arm sacrifices, she watched curiously as he simply sat down next to her in his perfect, graceful way and looked off into the distance.

"I tried to kill you, are you not displeased with me?" He said after a moment's thought, his golden eyes turning to her.

_Oh yeah, he did, didn't he? _She noted absentmindedly. _Well, that _was_ rather rude come to think of it..._

"I was," she conceded with a nod and a shrug, "but... I got over it."

He blinked, and for a second he almost looked surprised, but the expression was gone so fast Kagome couldn't really be sure if it was there at all.

"Perhaps I have 'gotten over it' as well," he said.

And then something happened that Kagome did not quite believe was possible. In fact, she really wished she could rewind for just a few seconds and make sure that she had actually seen what she thought she saw. And even if she could rewind and freeze frame the moment she still wasn't sure she would believe it, because the idea that Sesshoumaru had actually smiled - not smirked mockingly, or sneered, or lifted a brow, but a true smile - was absolutely impossible...right?

"It is impolite to stare, miko," he said dryly, the impossible smile vanishing just as soon as it had appeared, effectively bringing Kagome back down to earth.

_Oh, hello earth, how have you been? _She addressed the planet in a daze. _Just got back from whatever parallel universe I'd fallen into, did you know Sesshoumaru smiles there? Weird, huh?_

She was pretty sure the planet agreed.

"Well, alright then, truce?" She asked, holding out her hand and smiling.

He stared at it for a moment, wondering vaguely if he should so willingly place his hand in hers when said hand could so easily purify him to ash. Then he of course realized how incredibly ridiculous that idea was. As if Kagome were capable of purifying him! Not only would he be able to kill her several times over before she could even summon enough spiritual energy to singe his hair, but he knew she was completely incapable of even thinking to do such a vicious act.

He placed his hand in hers and watched as she squeezed and shook before releasing him with a satisfied smile on her face.

For some reason, Kagome couldn't shake the feeling that the two of them had just overcome some great obstacle. He had basically apologized for trying to kill her... well, it was more like he simply _acknowledged_ that she had the right to be angry with him, but in her mind it was pretty much the same thing. He also told her he didn't harbor any murderous rage towards her for her part in the loss of his arm, which was a particularly nice sentiment. Especially if she had any intention of living once this whole ordeal was over.

_Well, I guess it's kind of like starting over, _she thought to herself. _Only this time, maybe we might actually get along._

"See, I told you I'd be your friend," she said smugly.

_I wonder if my clothes will smell like her once she returns them, _he pondered before realizing what she had said.

He scoffed. "We are not _friends _miko, we have simply agreed not to be enemies."

"And if we aren't enemies..." she trailed off expectantly, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Then we are... allies," he finally decided, satisfied that 'allies' did not imply a personal relationship on any level.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head with an air of tired amusement. "Fine, we're allies, but I'm still your friend even if you aren't mine," she told him matter-of-factly. "So, get used to it."

"Silence miko," he growled, his hand coming up to press one long, clawed finger against her lips.

"Hey!" She yelled indignantly, batting his hand away and glaring. "Don't be a jerk!"

He turned his gaze to her, his eyes hard and urgent. "Silence!" He growled impatiently, his eyes drifting back to the trees. "We are being hunted."

Kagome immediately forgot her anger and concentrated her miko powers. Sure enough, only a short distance away, she could feel a powerful demonic presence, its dark youki so foul it almost made her shiver.

"That's a nasty one," she commented, trying not to sound as though her stomach had suddenly been dropped into a tub of ice.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru replied shortly, his eyes sliding once again from the trees to her. "You will stay here, I will take care of this," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for compromise. "Do not move... and keep your weapons close."

And with that he shrugged on the plain, white inner kimono he had folded by the river, lifted his armor over his head, and wrapped his fur pelt over his shoulder so quickly, Kagome could barely keep up. Finally he grabbed his swords from the rock he had rested them against and disappeared into the forest.

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_To review, or not to review?_

_That is the question._

_Well, if I were you, I would review._

_It will keep away my depression._

Note: I do not, nor have I ever, suffered from depression. It just happens to be one of the few words that rhymes with question.


	15. A brief interruption and explanation

**SUPER AUTHOR NOTE:**

**PLEASE READ!!!**

So, I am going to take this time to address a few comments, concerns, questions, and other random ramblings because I feel that if someone has taken the time to ask, then they should receive an answer. Note, just because I point certain things out and may seem to be a bit defensive, don't take it seriously!!! I am simply giving my point of view and am in no way upset with, or mad at, anyone who has pointed certain things out. I just am trying to explain to people why things are the way they are in my story. Anyway, questions:

*

Q: Does Kagome's blood affect Sesshoumaru's beast?

A: No. I have read a few fictions that portray Sesshoumaru as having a "beast" and I am not very fond of the idea. I see him as a rational being with superb control who holds intelligence, logic, and resistance in the highest regards, and therefore the idea that he has this crazy, animal who voices his basest thoughts inside his head does not appeal to me. Also I am a firm believer in keeping things in canon, and since the anime and manga make no reference to a "beast", for all intensive purposes my story does not include this either.

*

Q: Sesshoumaru seemed kind of OOC in certain parts!

A: Well, this is a story and an extension of the original Inuyasha that takes a much closer and in depth look at the character of Sesshoumaru, and as much as I strive to keep Sess in canon, I am not always going to be successful. Also, in the anime/manga Sesshoumaru has never dealt with romantic - or even friendly - feelings, so keeping this in mind, I would only assume that he would act slightly different in the situations of romance we seem so inclined to place him in. I don't think that he would simply be his same stoic self throughout such a life altering experience (and it WOULD be life altering for him). I could write my story this way:

_"Well, miko, it seems that your feminine body appeals to my baser needs. Now, succumb to my seduction so I can be through with this ridiculous distraction." Sesshoumaru raises a brow and waits expectantly._

But I don't think that would be too entertaining. Well, maybe it would, but regardless: that ain't how I operate, people! Lol. So please forgive any out of character...ness, that you may find to your displeasure. I really try my best to keep Sesshoumaru himself, but he is an incredibly hard character to write and I am simply not that talented or witty to always be spot on.

*

Q: Ew, if Kagome is under 18, romance is icky! Sesshoumaru is really old!

A: I understand if the thought of a younger Kagome and Sesshoumaru being romantic may gross some of you out, but people, I haven't even had them hold hands! They've been ogling eachother, that's about it right now, and haven't you ever had an older celebrity crush or something? I mean, even if the Kagome in my story was 2 years older, she would still be with a significantly older Sesshoumaru. He would be 702 instead of 700(or however old he is), but that is the magic of this pairing! He is an ageless, timeless, immortal being and she is a frail, tangible human. Their relationship isn't supposed to make sense and that is why it is so awesome! Like forbidden fruit or some other over-used metaphor.

There WILL be kissing between the two, and since I can't go back and change the story to make her older, you can ignore those parts if they make you uncomfortable. Also, in this time period (the feudal era) girls were often MARRIED as young as 11 or 12 to men as old as 30 or 40. Time has changed society's norms, but our modern way of thinking was not always how every human throughout existence viewed things. To Sesshoumaru, a 16 year old Kagome would be a fully grown, adult woman.

*

Q: I thought it was daiyoukai, not taiyoukai...doesn't taiyoukai mean fish demon?

A: Yes, I am aware that taiyoukai means fish youkai, but I have a preference for the title, as many other authors do as well. Some of my favorite stories like **Tales from the House of the Moon** and **The Once and Future Taiyoukai** have used the title, and I like it. And I have super author privileges and so...I say it stays. Just cuz. ;-)

*

Q: Is Kouga going to be making any appearances?

A: I hadn't planned on it, but if he does, if will be very brief and not all that important. I do plan on bringing in Kikyo for a quick scene or two, but she won't be a big part of it either. Please note that though I do not particularly like Kikyo's character, I do not hate her and she isn't going to be a bitch in this. I see her as creepy and a little disconcerting more than anything else, but she isn't going to be all crazy maniacal with Kagome hate in this fic, she's just going to be a little cold and...aloof? I don't know if that's the adjective I'm looking for, but whatever.

*

Q: Where is Izunagi?

A: I don't know...deep sea fishing? He's doing his own thing for awhile and won't be back in the fic until Sess and Kags get the spear.

*

Q: Sesshoumaru's white, fuzzy thing...what's my take?

A: I know some people call it a "mokomoko-sama" but I really don't like that title all that much. It just seems a little too silly sounding to be associated with the demon lord, but that's just me. In my fic it will be referred to as a pelt.

*

Q: Are you an english major?

A: Nope. I'm a Senior in high school who has taken the bare minimum english classes required to graduate. In fact, I only started writing about...10 months ago. Before that I had never typed a creative word in my life, other than school papers of course! And though I may take a few creative writing courses in college, I am going to be a biology major, possibly minoring in art lol.

*

Well, I hope you all found this helpful...amusing...time passing...whatever. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, I love you all!!! And once again, do not take offense to any of this, this is simply my way of acknowledging your comments and giving you reasons why things are the way they are, or why things are going to remain the way I have written them. I'm one of those people who likes to give explanations for my actions and opinions rather than just yelling, "BECAUSE I SAID SO!!!" and storming off. So, again, much love all around!!!

I write because I love it. I write because I love reading good literature and feel as though I should give the same pleasure to others as they have given to me. Basically, I write for you.

~From your friendly neighborhood writer, TWLOAP

_*****I've reached 100 reviews!!! EXCITEMENT!!! The picture will be on the way soon!!!*** (Does a little dance, feels stupid, stops dancing...goes to eat some ice cream)**_


	16. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15_

**Author Note:**

18 reviews the last chapter! I was mega excited, thanks to everyone!

This chapter is kind of short, but it was the only way I could break up the monster of a chapter it would have been otherwise. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and awesome! I even had someone who wants to translate my story into hungarian, which is way cool lol. Anyway, I hope you all will continue to read and review my story. Now, get to it!

Also, on ffn I posted a list of a bunch of questions that I have been asked and answered them. It appears as a chapter and since I don't think this site allows chapters that just answer questions, I didn't post it here, but if you wanna read it, go to ffn.

* * *

Sometimes people make mistakes. In fairy tales and legends of old, the hero, or the main character, or the great victorious champion, may make a mistake. They fall from grace, or take a wrong turn, or give into some forbidden temptation, but they learn from it, they grow, and in the end things always work out for the better. Most times their horrible mistakes actually lead to some great finding of self, or knowledge gained, or prize won.

Yippee, yahoo, and all other celebratory phrases.

But sometimes people make mistakes and because life is not a fairy tale no matter how many demons one might have bested, or how many gods one ma y have met, or how many silver palaces one happened to have visited, it was simply that: a mistake. Something stupid or foolish or downright unfortunate that happens just because it can, just because people are imperfect and not everything has to have a silver lining, even if we really, REALLY wish it did.

And Kagome really wished there was a silver lining to this monumental mess she had made, but apparently someone had stolen her silver lining. She wished they would return it, or at least leave a bronze lining in its place. That would have been the considerate thing to do.

_Stupid, inconsiderate, figurative people!_ She swore inwardly. This was all their fault! It was in no way her own fault! No, that was just ridiculous.

Even if it _was _all her fault.

_Stupid, logical mind! _She cursed herself. _Stop being all...logical and stuff!_

Kagome sighed and slumped her shoulders. Of course she knew she wasn't perfect, she knew she made stupid decisions that didn't really make sense a lot of the time, but things always seemed to work out in the end.

_Like a fairy tale! _She thought hysterically. _Oh good, now all I have to do is find the nearest toad and kiss it and it will turn into a delicious piece of man flesh and whisk me away...or was it a frog? Damn._

The next frog and or toad she saw she was going to jump on, she decided petulantly. And _if _she ever made it back to her time, she was going to burn every disney movie she could get her ands on. They were just so happy and upbeat and filled with hope and love and flowers and singing animals and handsome men and happy endings! Where was her happy ending? It certainly wasn't here.

_Well, guess it's time to admit I'm not a princess, _she thought dryly. _Oh darn, there go all my hopes and dreams for a magically wonderful life. Yup, bye pretty hopes and dreams, see you later, come visit some time and I'll tell you how horribly miserable my life is becoming. We can have tea!_

Tea. Yes, if her life were a fairy tale, she would have tea.

But she guessed she should have expected this. She should have known that just once her stupid little decisions weren't going to work out in her favor, that just once she would do something that promised to go very badly and it _would _go very badly. She should have realized that continuing to roll the dice and hoping to get three's wasn't exactly the best plan in the world and that eventually she would roll a four, or maybe a six, or some other horrible number that wasn't three.

But she hadn't realized this. She hadn't even considered it because she was imperfect and made mistakes. Mistakes that had lead her here: to a smelly carriage filled with half-dead, zombie women.

"Ugh, Sesshoumaru is going to gut me," she muttered. "No, on second thought, he'll probably skin me and make me into a rug so that he can walk on me and smirk for the rest of forever."

Yes, that seemed more demeaning to her. Much more his style.

She had been waiting for him to return to her smug and victorious after eviscerating whatever youkai had dared get within a fifty mile radius of him, when she had sensed it.

It was just a low-level youkai, circling around her and heading towards Sesshoumaru and the other powerful presence he had gone after. She knew she should have stayed where she was, that Sesshoumaru was strong enough to handle both nuisances, but she couldn't just sit there and let some stupid youkai sneak past her without even a glance!

She was a powerful miko, she had her bows and arrows, and Sesshoumaru had called her an ally! What good was an ally if they couldn't even take on one small, little demon?

So, she grabbed her bow and arrows and stalked off after the blasted creature intent on proving herself. Little did she know that this was exactly what the youkai wanted her to do, it wanted to lure her just far enough away so that Sesshoumaru could not sense the trickery they had planned.

But she didn't know any of this, and when she reached the demon, she saw that it wasn't alone. The lizard horse who seemed to be pulling a large, daunting carriage had two brutish humans as it's companions. Kagome hadn't expected this; she could only sense demons after all, not other humans.

And these humans were huge and wore malicious grins, rhythmically pounding heavy clubs against the palms of their hands. Before she could even scream for help, a third man who had been hiding in the shadows came up behind her and with a loud WHAP, everything went black.

And that was the last thing she remembered before she woke up surrounded by these silent women who hadn't even acknowledged she was there. She felt the back of her head and found a nice big lump along with the still scabbed wound from the night before.

_Great, just what I need: more head trauma,_ she seethed inwardly.

"Sesshoumaru, you better get your high and mighty butt moving and come save me," she found herself ranting.

"W-who is, Sesshoumaru?" One of the zombie-women asked, slowly turning her fair face towards Kagome as though she had just realized she was there.

Except that this girl wasn't a zombie...not yet. She still had something in her eyes, a strange sort of sparkle that meant she hadn't really given up hope, that she still remembered freedom.

Kagome gawked at the girl and spit out the first thing that came to mind. "He's a haughty demon lord who's totally going to go ballistic when he finds out what I've gotten myself into!"

The girl blinked slowly before turning away. "Oh," she said tonelessly. "He will come for you then?"

Kagome frowned. "I think so."

"Well, I only hope he is not too late," Amaya sighed and closed her eyes, fading out of awareness like all the other women around them.

_Me too, _the miko thought desperately, bringing her knees to her chest. _Me too._

***

Sesshoumaru was about three seconds from exploding into a giant, acid breathing dog and melting all of Southern Japan...and perhaps Eastern and Northern Japan for good measure.

In fact, it was only the small, logical part of his mind that told him stealth would be far more beneficial to his plight than an all out rampage, that spared the land around him. Cursed logical part of his mind - melting things would certainly have been cathartic.

And why was he feeling so discontented today? He had been tricked. He had been tricked and now he was angry. Perhaps even pissed...if he was more inclined to use such language.

It hadn't taken long for him to figure out something was wrong when he first burst through the trees to meet the youkai he had sensed. The beast was just leaning against a tree and smirking, his bright red hair and glowing red eyes standing in stark contrast against the greens and browns of the forrest. A fire demon, Sesshoumaru realized, though this revelation was hardly comforting. He wasn't particularly powerful, but fire demons were notoriously underhanded and remarkable escape artists; deadly tricksters with dark mischief on their minds.

This was his first warning that something was amiss. The second was when the demon yawned, asked if he had lost any pretty miko lately, and promptly took to the tree tops and sprinted away.

Then, the dragon came.

Bursting from the very ground beneath his feet, the dragon was a formidable foe, obviously capable of concealing its presence when needed. It took the inuyoukai far longer than he would have liked to kill it, but in the end, it lay slain on the forest floor.

Sesshoumaru didn't even give it a second glance before following after the fire demon, his heart pounding for some unknown reason and his breathing just a little faster than normal. He knew he had been fooled, lured away from the miko by the foul youkai so that he could take her right from under his nose. He needed to find the miko, he needed to find her _now_. From the moment that wretch smirked at him he had known who it was he was dealing with...the demon he had been after all along.

And now the beast had snatched another maiden, and _this _maiden, Sesshoumaru would not allow to be taken.

***

"What do you mean she's been taken!" Inuyasha yelled, jumping to his feet in irritation and nearly sending the tea Kaede was attempting to give him flying across the room.

"Inuyasha, ye must calm down," she said disapprovingly.

"Yelling will not help Kagome. Let us listen to what Kaede-sama has to say," Miroku said quietly, but commandingly.

"Keh, fine," the hanyou scoffed, folding his hands into his sleeves and collapsing back to the ground in a huff like a petulent child. "Out with it, you old hag!"

Kaede scowled at him, but cleared her throat and prepared to explain nonetheless. "When I was but a child, and Kikyou was still alive, our father told us an old legend. It was said that every few centuries or so, a great power would be felt coming from the bone eater's well," she spoke in the whimsical manner of one telling a great tale. "Anyone who was near the well at the time would simply disappear, never to be heard from again. Tis why the forest of Inuyasha remains so undisturbed; the villagers fear the well, they do not want to be near it should the power return."

"Yeah, yeah, but what's this got to do with Kagome?" Inuyasha growled impatiently.

"Patience, Inuyasha," she warned him, her lone eye giving him a harsh glare. "If ye had only let me finish I would have told you that I sensed this very power not but a few days ago, the same day Kagome went missing."

The group went silent. Sango and Miroku exchanged a horrified look and Shippou scrambled into Sango's lap, clutching at her shirt and trying not to cry. Even Kirara mewed in despair.

"So...you're sayin' she's never coming back?" Inuyasha mumbled, his ears flat against his head and his eyes wide. "She's disappeared?"

"No, Kagome has not disappeared," Kaede said simply. "She has been taken."

"But how can you be so sure," Sango asked, the desperation clear in her voice. She wanted to believe the old miko more than anything, but experience had taught her that life was more often cruel than kind.

Kaede took another sip of tea. "I may be old, but even my lone eye is well enough to know what I have seen," she shrugged. "Kagome was taken...she was thrown over a creature's shoulder and carried off into the sky."

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_The pen is mightier than the sword they say_

_So what wars could be won with simple essays?_

_To write, not fight. To review, not smite._

_To battle with a pen would sure be a sight._

Lol, this one kind of sounds like I'm preaching for world peace or something. Anyway, you read the poem, now review!


	17. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16_

**Author Note:**

Why am I being super awesome and posting this so early? Because today was my last day of high school for the rest of forever, that's why!!! Yay, it's summer! Now read a slightly depressing chapter.

* * *

"Come out now, pretty ladies, time for some eats," one of the human thugs grunted, sticking his head inside the carriage and smiling wickedly. "Hold out your hands and we won't 'ave any trouble."

The women all shifted so that they were in a sort of line, waiting to be pulled from the carriage. Kagome watched from the middle of the que of women as the first girl held out her hand and a shackle was attached to it before she was tugged out the door to wait for the rest of the procession.

One by one each woman was shackled and pulled from the carriage, each cuff linked with a long, heavy chain that connected the line of girls to one another. Finally Kagome was at the front, facing the smelly, oaf of a man who held a metal cuff open and ready to clamp down on her wrist.

"You're the one I hit on the head," he sneered amusedly. "The boss was right pleased, especially with that _pretty_ necklace you kept around that _pretty_ neck."

Kagome gasped and looked down, the shikon shards were gone! She had a minor heart attack before realizing that though she could still sense them near b y, she could also sense that they hadn't been tainted just yet.

The key word being 'yet'.

Another thing she could sense was the familiar aura of the youkai that Sesshoumaru had gone after, and she had no doubt that he was the one that now held _her _shards. She didn't know why the youkai hadn't used them, maybe the demon that had captured her was weary of their power? Or perhaps he simply wanted to taunt her as he tainted each shard right in front of her. Who knew? All she did know was that she had to get them back before the demon had a chance to use them.

She also hoped that the fact that this youkai was still alive simply meant that he had somehow managed to escape from Sesshoumaru, not that he had somehow defeated the taiyoukai.

"Now then, give me your hands, I won't bite," the ugly brute smiled wickedly, showing his yellow teeth.

Kagome put her hands behind her back.

"Oi! Wench, give me your wrist!" He grunted angrily, snatching her arm and roughly pulling it towards him so he could chain her. The cuff clamped down on her wrist, the thick, metal restraint cutting into her skin painfully. When he was finished he pulled her forcefully from the carriage and watched as she fell to the ground, laughing maliciously at her pained cry.

"Next time just give him your hand," an auburn haired girl said darkly as she helped Kagome to her feet. "Disobedience will only earn you a lashing."

"Oh," Kagome said stupidly as she brushed the dirt from Sesshoumaru's haori. She felt bad about getting it dirty, but truthfully she had forgotten she was still wearing it...and besides, there wasn't much she could do about it now. "Thank you for helping me, um, what's your name?"

"Aiko," she said shortly, not bothering to look at the miko, but staring straight in front of her instead.

"I'm Kagome," she muttered as the next woman was thrust from the carriage and stumbled to her side, the chain connecting them clinking noisily. She gave the girl a shaky smile, a smile that was completely ignored. Shuddering, Kagome turned back to the auburn haired woman. "Why won't the other's talk?" She whispered.

Aiko sighed. "They have been here too long, gone mad like caged animals. Soon I'll be like that," she said with only the barest hint of emotion. "I suppose you will too, but until then, we can exchange names I suppose."

"You've already told me your name," Kagome said wearily.

Aiko turned to look at her with an expression of detached confusion. "Oh, that's right, now I remember." And with that she sighed and faced forward again, her eyes staring in front of her. Kagome doubted the girl even comprehended what she was seeing.

_I've got to get out of here! _She screamed inwardly.

"Ah, good job men, I suppose you'll be wanting your pay now?" A sickeningly cheerful voice said as the three brutes that had pulled them from the carriage snapped to attention. Kagome instantly knew it was the evil demon from before, his demonic aura nearly making her retch, and just as she had suspected she could tell he had the shards on him. "There will be twice as much in it for you if stay to ready my camp," he informed them as he tossed a satchel of yen to the men.

The largest man caught it gracelessly and smiled. "Yes boss."

The three lumbered off promptly to start a fire and set up tents. They had been flying before, Kagome had eventually figured out, but they had touched down in a small forest clearing about twenty minutes ago.

"Now, my beauties," the demon smiled, turning to the line of chained women after the men had hurried off. "Why don't you welcome your newest sister-bride?"

"Yes, Master Shigeru," they chanted in unison and then turned to Kagome. "Welcome, sister."

Kagome shuddered as ten pairs of eyes all focused on her; ten pairs of eyes that didn't seem to see her at all.

"Now, show me your proper respects my brides," Shigeru instructed, crossing his arms and watching as one-by-one each woman lowered themselves to the ground into a low bow.

Kagome remained standing and his sole attention was suddenly upon her. She hadn't done it to be defiant - she just didn't know she was supposed to bow - but as soon as his cold, hard eyes narrowed at her, she realized that she would much rather stay standing.

_This guy is a serious prick,_ she decided.

Shigeru eyed his newest prize with annoyance. She stared right back at him, her chin lifted in the ultimate snub to his superior status. Slowly he walked over to her, stopping only once he was standing right in front of her, looking down at her determined expression with a sneer.

"You will bow, pretty miko," he said in a dangerously sweet voice.

Kagome gulped and clenched her fists. "No, I don't think I will," she said, surprised at how strong her voice sounded even though she was terrified. She may have gotten herself captured, and she may be chained like some slave, but she was a twentieth century woman! Heck if she was going to feed this guy's over-inflated ego.

"Without your trinkets, you are nothing but a poor excuse for a miko," he sneered, pulling the vile of shards from his robes and dangling them in front of her face.

_The Shards! _She gasped inwardly. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to take them and purify the demon before her, but her mind - finally deciding to be useful for once - told her that he would kill her before she could even get the chance.

Kagome glared at him and refused to submit. "You can't use them, they'll give you power, but they'll drive you mad," she told him as his eyes narrowed.

"I know this, girl! I am a deceiver, I know deception when I see it! These shards promise power, but I have seen the power they give: a frenzied insanity. I have no use for them, but that does not mean I will allow you to keep them," he growled, stowing the vile of shards back in his robes and straightening his stance. "Now, you will bow!"

She felt a pull at her sleeve and looked down into the auburn haired girl's pleading eyes, the first true expression Kagome had seen her wear. "Please, you will be beaten," the girl warned her.

The young miko looked at the pleading girl for a moment before resigning herself and turning back to the youkai in front of her. "Take pride in what you do, or don't do it at all," she said, repeating the words Sesshoumaru had told her so many nights ago. "You're nothing but a bully, I won't bow to the likes of you!"

The youkai scowled fiercely, looking as though he might hit her before he was able to school his features into a haughty smirk. "Ah, resistance is such an unbefitting quality," he told her, lifting a hand and motioning to the bulky men behind him. "I believe my newest bride needs to be taught some manners...ten should do it."

Kagome's determined facade melted into a look of confusion as Aiko dropped her hold on the miko's sleeve and groaned. Not a second later and Kagome was released from her chains only to have her hands bound to one of the spokes of the tall carriage wheels. She pulled against the tight ropes in vain, grunting as her wrists burned from the friction.

"Now, now, pretty miko," Shigeru cooed as he came to her side, running a finger through her hair. "Will you bow?"

"No!" Kagome hissed. "Now you let me go right now or I'll purify you into next week!"

Shigeru laughed. "It seems to me that your hands are preoccupied."

She growled and he merely continued laughing, stepping away from her as one of the horrid men lumbered over with an evil grin on his face and a leather whip in hand. "Ten?" He asked.

"If you can count that high," the youkai sighed, crossing his arms and watching Kagome with a fierce interest.

Kagome gave one last futile tug on her restraints before closing her eyes and gritting her teeth for the pain that she was about to endure. _Sesshoumaru, where are you?_

CRACK!

Kagome cried out, the pain across her back like a white hot knife being pressed into her flesh. Not even the haori they hadn't removed - probably because Shigeru did not want other men looking at his bride's bare back - offered much protection.

"Will you bow?" Shigeru asked again.

Kagome blinked the tears from her eyes and shook her head.

CRACK!

Her knees wobbled and she felt cold, stinging air against her raw skin as the silk spilt beneath the harsh whip, leaving a long tear in the fabric and probably a matching tear in her flesh.

"Will you bow?" Shigeru repeated, a low growl building in his throat at her continued defiance.

"You're sick!" She choked.

CRACK!

Kagome felt blood trickling down her spine as she stumbled against the carriage to remain upright. Her head was spinning from the pain, her blood pounding in her veins as sweat and tears streaked her face.

Shigeru didn't ask this time.

CRACK!

Kagome was on the edge of consciousness, she could barely see past her tears, barely hear past the pounding of her heart. Her back was both numb and on fire at the same time, feeling like her skin was trying to peel itself away from her very bones.

It was all she could do to keep upright, all she could do to keep staring at the dirt and blood - her blood - beneath her feet. She didn't even notice that the next hit never came, didn't notice how her human tormenter had cried out as his head was sliced from his body with deadly precision, falling to the ground just as his two counterparts had done before him. She didn't even notice when Shigeru started yelling, throwing balls of fire at the silent menace before him. Nor when his hands were severed by a poisonous green whip and his face melted so quickly it was as if the two acts were simultaneous.

What Kagome _did_ notice was the pale, clawed hand that was currently slicing through her bonds.

"Shards, get the shards," she managed to mumble incoherently as her world spun and she was tipped into the firm hold of a steady arm.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru growled, shaking her gently. There was something off about his voice, something about the urgency it seemed to have that she knew wasn't quite normal, but she was much too out of it to dissect the situation any further.

"I'm sorry," she managed to say as her teary eyes found his face. He swam in her vision, his golden eyes never quite coming into focus. "I bled all over your shirt."

And she passed out.

Sesshoumaru just stared down at the unconscious girl resting in the crook of his arm, and for the first time in as long as he could remember, he was shocked. She was bleeding...a lot. Bleeding all over him, but he didn't care. The scent of her blood had lost it's appeal the moment he had seen her torn back.

Now it only disgusted him.

He had heard her cries, heard the crack of the whip as it hit her skin, and it took all of his self restraint to keep from transforming right then and there. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so angry, couldn't remember the last time his blood had boiled so hot that it threatened to consume him. He was so mad his hand was still shaking, his claws unsatisfied. He wanted to murder every living thing he could see, every tiny, insignificant creature that even happened to look at this girl in an unpleasing fashion.

When had he grown so attached to her? When had the very thought of her death become so upsetting? He didn't know, and quite frankly, he didn't care. After all - what did it matter? She was honorable and strong and interesting, and he had obviously decided that a world that included her would be much more satisfactory than a world without.

For some reason he wanted her alive, and what Sesshoumaru wanted, Sesshoumaru got. Simple. Easy. The miko would live and that was all there was to it. Anyone who had other ideas...well, he would kill just them as he had the pathetic fire demon that lay dead at his feet.

And a fine kill it had been. The fire demon may not have been astoundingly powerful, but he was an adequate opponent, though, Sesshoumaru cut him down within seconds. The dog demon had never killed someone of this caliber so easily. It both thrilled him and confused him, making him wonder why this simple, human, slip of a girl invoked such strong reactions out of him.

This was a question he could not seem to answer, and so, he would think of it later. Right now he had a bleeding miko to tend to.

"I told her to bow, she wouldn't listen," the Aiko sighed. "Now look at her."

Sesshoumaru's tore his gaze away from Kagome to look up at the line of women he had previously ignored. The one that had spoken to him was shaking her head and breaking the chains around her wrist with only the slightest bit of effort.

"Hanyou," he addressed her harshly, "why did you not free yourself before now?"

"Hm?" She looked up at him as she began to break the other women's chains one-by-one. "Well, I wasn't powerful enough to defeat Shigeru on my own. I could have escaped, but he would have caught me and then I'd be in the same state as your miko there."

Sesshoumaru saw the sense in her words, but Kagome's current condition forced him to hate the girl for not trying. Despite the beating the girl would have faced should she have failed, she should have tired. _Her_ wounds would have healed in hours, _Kagome's_ would take weeks.

"You are princess Aiko of the Southwestern kitsune tribe," he said, though it was a statement not a question. "You are in my debt, you will accompany me to your father's manor and tend to the miko as payment."

She nodded distractedly. "What of the women?"

Sesshoumaru spared the lifeless beings a glance as he reached down into the bloody mass that was once Shigeru and grabbed the vile of shards, only a few of the girls showed any signs of acknowledging their freedom. "The ones that are able may follow."

She just nodded again. "I will lead the women, but _she_ needs help soon. I will assist you when I arrive. Thank you."

Sesshoumaru nodded, gathered the miko to him further, and took to the skies.

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_Goodbye high school_

_Kiss my ass_

_You were fun, yet kinda dumb_

_My adolescence is in the past_

Now review because it will make me happier than I already am!!!


	18. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17_

**Author Note**:

Sorry this is kind of late, I have mucho grad parties to go to, like 21 to be exact. I'm just that popular and awesome...and no, I'm totally not conceited, why do you ask? Just kidding! Anywho, that drawing is coming along, it should be done tonight actually, photoshopping backgrounds is just a pain in the ass. I got so many different requests from people for which scene to do, so I just did a general cutesy picture of the two of them together...I guess it could kind of be like a cover for the story or something. Anyway, I'll post the link when it is done, or you could just cyber stalk me on deviant art. Either one.

* * *

_She couldn't move, she was on the floor, she was about to be married to some insane poison master, and she couldn't move._

_His hands were on her, making her dance as he sung her a ridiculous marriage song and she couldn't pull away. Her arms wouldn't listen to her head, not even her voice seemed to be working._

_He dropped her back to the floor then, telling her what a beautiful bride she was, offering her rice wine with that horrible smirk on his face. And then Sango and Miroku came bursting through the roof of the hut, wielding their weapons as Kirara crashed through planks and beams to get to the miko. But soon they were on the floor too, a blast of poison from her captor rendering them useless._

_He was laughing after that, laughing as her friends coughed and fell to the ground, and Kagome was angry. She forced her limbs to move, grabbed a set of chopsticks, and thrust them into the poison master's throat. She had been trying to grab the jewel shard that was lodged in his stubby neck, but she missed, she missed and fell over._

_He was angry._

_He told her she wasn't fit to be his bride as his calloused, cold fingers closed around her neck and started to squeeze the air from her body. She gasped, the room started to go dark. She called for Inuyasha._

_And then...she could breathe. Mukotsu was yelling in pain, his hands clutching at the wound that had suddenly appeared on his chest. She had been saved from the brink of certain death, and as the poison master fell to the side, she expected to find her hanyou staring back at her. But it wasn't Inuyasha she found._

_"S-Sesshoumaru?" she had gasped in wonder. He stared back, his eyes cold and void._

_Sesshoumaru had saved her..._

***

It was this scene that played over and over in her mind as she drifted through the hazy limbo between consciousness and oblivion. That day the band of seven had been reduced to six. That day Sesshoumaru had saved her life.

Back then Sesshoumaru was the last person she would have expected to come to her aid, but now...now it only seemed natural that he had come to her rescue.

Her mind faded out of comprehensible thinking as she lost her train of thought and the memory of Mukotsu's demise replayed again in her head. It was hours, maybe days, before she felt as though she were truly conscious.

Kagome's first thought upon waking was how her back felt as though she had been dragged across the highway by a tractor trailer going ten miles over the speed limit. Which, she noted, couldn't possibly be right seeing as she was in the feudal era - an era quite devoid of tractor trailers.

Her second thought was that it sounded like someone was growling.

"Do calm down, I am simply changing the sheets," she heard a familiar female voice whisper as the growling ceased.

_Sheets? _The miko mentally repeated. _I haven't slept on sheets in...well, too long. Just where the heck am I?_

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome said sleepily as she blinked open her eyes. She had no idea what was going on, but she hoped that she would at least be able to find Sesshoumaru and make sure he hadn't abandoned her for being such a fool. Unfortunately it seemed that her vision was being obstructed by a rather large amount of auburn hair.

"You're awake? Good. Tell your youkai he can stop growling every time anyone tries to get near you," the girl with the striking hair said, throwing a look over her shoulder as Sesshoumaru growled again. "See?"

_Oh good, I haven't been abandoned then. That's definitely nice._

"The Great Lord of the Western lands making such a fuss," the girl muttered as she ripped the sheet currently guarding Kagome from the cold, cruel air from the bed and folded it. "I never."

Another low growl - probably a warning - erupted from the other end of the room, but the girl only shook her head.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm fine," Kagome said, wondering why in the heck he would be growling over her anyway. Maybe it was a dog thing? Like she was his miko chew toy and he didn't want anyone else to take a bite?

Kagome then realized that she was comparing herself to a chew toy and decided that she really could do with some more sleep...and perhaps a blood transfusion or two.

"Hn," he grunted, throwing her a stern glare from the wall he leaned against as she tried to shift and hissed in pain.

"Okay, maybe 'fine' is pushing it," she rolled her eyes, "but growling at people isn't going to help anything."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but otherwise gave no indication he was listening.

The auburn haired girl - Aiko, Kagome remembered - spread the new sheet over her and then took a step back. "Alright, I'll be back to change your bandages later," she said. "Now, you mustn't move or you'll tear your stitches," she warned as she slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"She seems...different," Kagome commented, remembering the haunted girl she had first met. Now she seemed almost normal.

Sesshoumaru's gaze shifted to her, looking her over as if trying of decide whether or not she was worthy of a response. "Hanyou are resilient creatures if nothing else," he finally said, his deep baritone cutting through the tension that had plagued the room since Aiko's departure.

Kagome nearly sighed with relief, he may not have said it, but she was sure this was Sesshoumaru's way of letting her know he wasn't going to maul her for disobeying him...though, he was probably still pretty angry.

"She was a hanyou?" She asked.

He merely nodded. "The kitsune lord of this province took a human mate in accordance with a peace treaty between the ningen of this area," he said distastefully. "She is their only offspring."

"She doesn't have animal ears like Inuyasha," the miko noted, not really knowing why it mattered, but feeling as though she would much rather keep their conversation limited to topics that wouldn't get her yelled at.

"Not all half-demons do," he said.

"Oh..." She trailed off awkwardly.

Sesshoumaru reached down and untied something from his waist, tossing it at the miko before she could see what it was. She squeaked indignantly as it hit her on the forehead before she could catch it, but immediately forgot her anger as she realized what it was he had thrown at her.

"The jewel shards!" She exclaimed happily as she picked up the glass vile from the bed and checked to make sure they were all there. "You got them back!"

Sesshoumaru merely raised a brow as if questioning why she would ever doubt he would be able to retrieve them.

"How come you were carrying them? You could've just put them back around my neck," she asked, slipping the necklace over her head once more.

"You were unconscious, I would not leave such things unguarded," he told her blandly.

Kagome frowned. "Oh...weren't you...affected by them?"

"No," he said simply, looking up from his inspection of his claws. "The jewel promises power, but it is a false power. This Sesshoumaru has no interest in such foolishness, wench."

"Wow," she said in awe. "I wish other people could realize that, it would make my job a whole lot easier...even that crazy Shigeru guy knew not to use them."

He gave her a quick look before returning to his claw inspection. "Indeed."

They were both silent then, for minutes they just shared the awkward void that had once been filled with words, but now lay empty between them. He stared at his hand while Kagome stared at him, desperately trying to figure out if he was angry, or simple bored as usual.

"I'm sorry about your clothes," she spit out hastily, eager to break the silence. She had noticed that he now wore just a white haori under his armor, paired with his usual white hakama. It was a pity she had ruined such a beautiful piece of clothing, though, at least his traditional obi seemed to have survived the ordeal, seeing as it was once again tied around his waist.

He finally looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "That is what you choose to apologize for?" He asked, the dead quality to his tone more unnerving than if he had screamed at her. "You think I have even the slightest concern over my ruined wardrobe?"

Kagome wrinkled her brow. "What _should_ I apologize for? Since I'm obviously doing it wrong."

His eyes widened fractionally, surprise flitting across his face before his stoic mask was once again in it's place. Gracefully he pushed himself off of the wall at the far end of the room and walked over to her bedside, kneeling so that he was staring her right in the face. She wanted to back up, get away from his penetrating stare, but her wounds prevented her from moving at all.

She shifted uncomfortably, his golden eyes boring into hers, and she desperately wished that she at least didn't have to lay on her stomach like some beached whale while he glared at her.

"You disobeyed This Sesshoumaru," he told her, his voice like an ice so cold it burned. "You walked blindly into a trap simply because you are incapable of doing as you are told."

The miko swallowed her fear and scowled. "I thought it was just a youkai, I could have killed him in a second! How was I supposed to know there were men there?"

"You _did _not know, because you _could not _have known," he growled, his face so close to hers that she could see the glint of his fangs as he spoke. "You are human and your senses are inferior, you should have waited as I instructed. You will not disobey me again."

"I just wanted to help," she mumbled, turning her head away.

He grabbed her by the chin and forced him to look at him. "You will not do that again," he repeated in a voice so soft it was dangerous. His grip tightened, his claws threatening to break her skin where they held her.

"But I can fight!" She insisted, trying to pull away. His hold was iron tight, but his hand fell back to his side nonetheless. "I can help you! You know I can! Don't leave me behind the next time you go to fight and we won't have this problem!"

"Miko, you are human, act like it!" He snapped, standing up and giving her a disgusted look.

"Not this again!" She yelled, sitting up and using her elbow for support even as her back screamed in protest. "I know I'm human, but that doesn't mean I'm defenseless or worthless or stupid like you see fit to remind me every waking minute!"

"THAT," he rasped in a savage tone as his eyes shone red for a quick moment. He closed them and took a breath to calm himself. "That is not what I meant!" He said in a slightly more controlled manner, though, his voice was still sharp. "You are human, wounds that simply cause a youkai discomfort would _kill_ you! I..."

He faltered and took another breath, opening his eyes slowly. They were once again golden and filled with a pain that came and went so quickly Kagome could not be sure it was really there.

"I do not wish to watch you die, miko," he said flatly, all emotion gone from his voice. "This Sesshoumaru may have the power over life and death, but it is an unpredictable power. I will not leave your life to chance."

"Oh," she said, all eloquence escaping her at the moment. She did not know what to say to that, he had just basically admitted that he actually gave a damn whether she lived or died, and that was _big._

She felt her anger melt away and she reached out to grab his sleeve. "I'm not trying to die, you know, but I'm a miko. I have to fight. That's what I do."

"And yet, you let my half brother protect you," he growled and pushed her hand away, sweeping out of the room faster than Kagome could see. He didn't even bother to spare her one last glance.

"Sesshoumaru, wait!" She tried to get up, to follow after him, but she simply could not make her battered body move.

Kagome slumped back onto her pillow, buried her face in it, and screamed.

Of course she had expected him to be angry, but in a Sesshoumaru way. He would glare at her, call her a filthy ningen, and threaten to disembowel her when this whole ordeal was over. What she did not expect was for him to flip out! He was _Lord Sesshoumaru_ for kami's sake! He wasn't supposed to lose his cool!

But he had! He had actually shown _emotion! _What did it all mean? Sure she probably shouldn't have disobeyed him, but her offense seemed significantly less...offensive...than say, Inuyasha repeatedly causing him grievous injury. Even when her hanyou friend had used the wind scar against Sesshoumaru, all the demon lord did was widen his eyes slightly before scoffing and disappearing in a ball of light.

But all she had done was get herself into trouble; she could hardly imagine why he was so furious. She was injured, but it was her fault, why did he care? Except maybe...maybe that was the reason he got so upset...maybe it was _because_ he cared_._

Kagome gaped at her pillow for a few more seconds, pondering the absurdity of Sesshoumaru caring, before promptly deciding that she deserved a few minutes of mental instability.

_I am gonna need so much therapy, _she mentally noted as she screamed into her pillow once again.

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_Some like it hot._

_Some like it cold._

_You should review._

_Do as you're told!_

That's right! You best review or I will find you and...write you a not very nice letter...BEWARE!!!


	19. Chapter 18

_Chapter 18_

**Author Notes:**

Yay! The picture is done!!! Go find it on deviant art, my DA name is ToWriteLoveOnAPage...woah, looks kinda similar to my name on here. Weird. Anyway, comments are appreciated. Okay, just one thing to say about it though: backgrounds are a bitch, especially the castle. Do you know how many vectors that's made of??? A lot.

Oh, and this is a long chapter, rejoice and such.

* * *

One mental breakdown and twenty minutes later, Aiko bustled back into the room, two human girls following in her wake, each carrying an assortment of bandages and ointments. Kagome recognized them as a few of the women that had been held as Shigeru's prisoners.

"Amaya, fetch some water. Kiya, disrobe her," Aiko snapped, sounding very much like a general barking out orders.

The women immediately set about their tasks with a practiced grace. They all looked as though they had been granted some time to reprieve after their release and she wondered just how long she had been asleep.

"I see your youkai has finally left you alone," Aiko commented as Amaya bustled out of the room and Kiya began to pull down Kagome's yukata to expose her wounded back. They must have cleaned her up while she was unconscious and gotten her some new clothes, which she was thankful for, but she still felt a little embarrassed that complete strangers had to dress her.

"He's not my youkai," Kagome winced as Kiya grazed one of the cuts on her back by mistake. "In fact, I find it hard to believe he even cared enough to stay. Was he really growling at everyone?"

The hanyou scoffed as Amaya swept back into the room with a bowl full of water and handed her a dampened cloth. Kagome tried not to gasp in pain as Aiko removed her soiled bandages and began to clean her wounds with a practiced, but firm hand.

"Wouldn't shut up, most unbefitting of a lord, but I suppose it is because you are pack," she said shrugging.

_Hm, agony, I'd forgotten what it feels like, _Kagome noted absentmindedly, barely comprehending Aiko's words as pain coursed through her body.

"I'm what?" She asked more to distract herself than anything else. She could feel the coarse stitches they had woven into her skin to keep her lacerations closed and they pulled with every movement, setting her nerves on fire.

"Pack, girl, you are his pack," she snapped as though the miko was being deliberately dense. "He is a dog demon, what do you expect? Dogs protect what is theirs, you are his, therefore he protects you."

_Wait...what? _Kagome thought. Aiko had stopped cleansing her wounds and has started to spread some sort of soothing balm onto them, allowing her to truly concentrate on the conversation at hand.

"B-but I'm not his!" She stuttered, taken aback once she finally realized what the hanyou had said. The way the girl talked made it sound like they were married, or something ridiculous like that! And she was positive that Sesshoumaru would rather dance merrily through a river of acid than even entertain the idea of marrying her.

"Please do not strain yourself miko-sama," Amaya said softly, pushing the girl back down to the bed that she had started to rise from in her agitation. "There is no need to become upset, you are both well, is that not enough?"

"I guess," she grumbled and settled back into the soft mattress beneath her. Amaya smiled while Aiko just rolled her eyes.

"You are human, you do not know youkai ways, but he has bound himself to your safety whether you like it or not," she informed Kagome. "That much is plain as day."

"He's tried to kill me a few times, I hardly think he cares about my safety," Kagome muttered, wondering if she had possibly lost a few vital brain cells while she was unconscious and was, in fact, imagining this conversation. It seemed more likely than the idea that she was discussing Lord Sesshoumaru's protective urges with a hanyou kitsune princess.

"Perhaps you were not pack _then_," she shrugged, wrapping a fresh bandage around Kagome's middle. "But you are _now_. You have gained his loyalty, or perhaps his admiration, on e can never tell with dogs. They are so vague after all."

"Just because he saved me doesn't mean I'm his...pack," she said, stumbling over the word as though it were some strange, foreign language. "He was just concerned about himself, I'm sure. I was placed under his protection by someone really powerful and they threatened to kill him if I was harmed."

"How interesting," Kiya commented, looking at Kagome as though she had suddenly grown ten times more fascinating within the past few seconds.

Aiko shrugged. "That may be part of it, but if he truly only cared for himself, I do not see why he would not abandon this room once your life was secured. I will have you know that he has not left your side since you arrived here and has nearly beheaded several servants for simply straying too close to your quarters."

"He what!" She nearly yelled, causing Amaya to fidget over her nervously as she tried to get her to calm down. "How long was I out of it! He didn't stay in here when you changed my bandages, did he?"

Some rational part of her brain told her that she should probably be more concerned that he was threatening to kill people over her, but when _wasn't _he threatening to kill some one? No, the notion that he could have possibly just sat there and observed as she was stripped naked, was much more pressing.

"You were asleep for three days, miko-sama," Aiko sighed tiredly. "And no, I forced him to stay out in the hall while we changed your dressings."

Kagome sighed and took a deep breath of relief. She was uncomfortable enough about having these women seeing her unclothed body, but thinking about Sesshoumaru watching as they cleaned her oozing, red wounds was too horrifying to even comprehend.

"Thank the gods," she murmured and even smiled as her three companions chuckled. "And you don't have to call me miko-sama, Kagome is fine."

The three stopped laughing. "Then we shall call you Kagome-sama," the dark haired Kiya told her solemnly.

"That's not necessary," the miko reassured them, wondering why they looked so serious all of a sudden.

"We know it is not necessary," Amaya told her kindly, "but you have done us all a great service. We are forever in your debt."

"All I did was get myself captured," she disagreed, "Sesshoumaru was the one that killed Shigeru. He's the one you should thank, not me."

"We have...not that he cared much," Kiya said flatly, "And besides, if you were not taken by Shigeru, the dog never would have slain him."

"Even if you were not the one to free us, we would still honor you, Kagome-sama," Aiko spoke up. "We all saw you stand up to that monster, and even now we see the evidence of your courage upon your very skin. You have earned all of our respect."

The other two nodded in silent agreement, staring at Kagome as though she were some sort of bedraggled saint.

The young miko cleared her throat nervously at the attention that had suddenly been thrust upon her. "W-where are the others?" She asked tentatively. There had been at least ten women under Shigeru's imprisonment, but only these three tended to her.

Aiko and Kiya looked to the floor, their expressions darkening as the third woman frowned and took a deep breath. "There were some that simply walked off into the woods, saying they would seek their old home's by themselves, and there were some that just stood there as though their minds were no longer within them..." The girl paused and took another breath. "A-and t-there was one...she grabbed Shigeru's abandoned sword and thrust herself upon it."

Kagome gasped, wondering which one of the broken women had been so torn that she had ended her own life. What had Shigeru done to them? She wanted to know what evil could possibly be so consuming that it would drive you to insanity simply for being near it, but at the same time, she knew she would never ask. These women should never have to think of their torture again.

Amaya blinked away a few tears and looked at her lap, forcing herself to forget the horrible ordeal. "Once you are healed, Kagome-sama, I will seek out my husband-to-be. I was once a wealthy hime, it will be nice to return to that life," she smiled faintly. "Though, I do not believe I will be traveling by carriage anytime soon."

Amaya chuckled humorlessly and the other two began to busy themselves with collecting dirtied bandages and cloths, breaking their melancholy silence to chatter amongst themselves. It was as though they had frozen and rebooted, like a computer trying to repair itself. Sadly, Kagome knew that these women's recoveries would not be so easy.

They talked for awhile after that. Kagome learned that Kiya had been a silk spinner's apprentice in the village she had grown up in. She traveled through much of Japan with her master, selling their fabrics to youkai and humans alike - as long as they could pay it did not matter who they were. In fact, she had sold Shigeru the very kimono he had been wearing upon his death, handed him the beautiful fabric just as he grabbed her about the waist and took her away.

Amaya was a wealthy hime who had been on her way to her her betrothed's estate. She longed to finally meet her husband and enjoy a quiet, untroubled life. Apparently she had been the last bride taken before Kagome, though, this hardly made her feel any less effected by the whole ordeal.

Their questions turned to Aiko, who told them proudly that it had taken Shigeru five whole minutes to finally chase her down. She was half kitsune and an inherent trickster, using her cunning and speed to outwit anyone who opposed her. But Shigeru had been faster in the end. He was a full demon after all.

"But no matter, I am home now," she said, giving Kagome a rare smile. Unlike Shippou, _this_ kitsune was incredibly subdued and smiles were few and far between. "And tonight my father holds a feast for my return!"

Amaya chuckled at the princess' enthusiasm and turned to the injured miko. "I regret that you will not be able to attend, Kagome-sama, but I shall sneak you some food from the kitchens."

"Yes, it is a pity," Kiya agreed. "It seems as though you would have many interesting stories to tell," she mused, raising a questioning brow in Kagome's direction.

The miko almost laughed at the girl's less than subtle hint. It was obvious they all wanted to know how a miko such as herself had come to be traveling with a taiyoukai, and now that she thought about it, it _was_ a pretty good story.

And so, Kagome treated the three women to the riveting tale of 101 ways to drive a miko to the very edge of sanity. It started with her kidnapping, prattled through the days of constant bickering she had endured, and finally concluded with how she had apologized for ruining Sesshoumaru's shirt and he had blown a blood vessel and stormed out.

"He is the absolute limit," Kagome grumbled as her new found friends sympathized.

"I think it's romantic," Amaya said. "He's so very protective of you, I hope _my _husband is like that."

"A hot-headed jerk?" The miko questioned incredulously.

Amaya scoffed. "No, of course not! I hope he is as passionate for me as this youkai is for you."

"Passion!" Kagome snorted and burst out laughing. Like he would ever be passionate for _anyone_, let alone her! A stick had more passion! Yes, on the list of bizarre things that would never ever happen, Sesshoumaru being passionate ranked right up there with him suddenly proclaiming to be a vegan, a human rights activist, and a monk all in the same day.

The women eyed the laughing miko with apprehension, turning to one another before shrugging and continuing their chat.

"You did not see the way he watched you, Kagome-sama," Kiya said knowingly. "It was as though every pain you had was his own."

"Yes, I have never seen a man so tense," Aiko agreed, chuckling to herself. "But youkai are strange creatures, I am not sure I will ever understand them, and I am half youkai myself!"

"And men are even stranger," Kagome grumbled as the other three nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yes, like night and day aren't we?" The hanyou said wistfully before sighing and getting to her feet. "But I am afraid we must continue this conversation another time, the feast is starting soon and we must ready ourselves."

The two human girls looked apprehensive as they eyed the door; obviously they felt bad about leaving the miko behind. Kagome only shook her head and assured them that she was much too tired to enjoy a feast even if she had been able to go, and that they should have a good time without her. She smiled as one-by-one they bade her a goodnight and slipped out of her room.

But just before Amaya reached the doorway, she stopped and turned. "Kagome-sama, you must be watchful while your companion is not at your side," she warned in a whisper. "You are a miko in a youkai palace, your presence is tolerated at best." And with one last look in Kagome's direction she turned and was gone.

_Awesome, I'm going to be assassinated! _Kagome thought giddily. _Perfect! I hope they kill me slowly and painfully!_

***

That night Kagome forced herself into an uneasy sleep. She dreamt of expressionless women and chains and whips and golden eyes that grew cold and burned a wild, violent red. Not even hunger could wake her from her tormented slumber, and when she finally opened her eyes the next morning, she was covered in sweat and ready to devour her pillow.

Fortunately she didn't have to, seeing as she had found a plate full of cold rice patties that one of her friends must have brought her during the feast. She ate them so fast she barely tasted them, and when she was done, she wished she had more. But she knew that she would just have to wait until someone saw fit to bring her lunch. She could barely move without being in agony and that made a walk to the kitchens out of the question.

Even though her back didn't hurt quite so much this morning, it was still far from better. Aiko had told her that the cream they had been applying to her back was a mixture created by one of their most talented healers. It would mend her wounds much faster than normal, but that she would still be out of commission for the next few days.

And there were the scars. She was sure she was going to have scars.

"Should have expected this, really," she grumbled bitterly to her sheets. "Obviously I need more things wrong with me: big, nasty scars should do the trick."

It was then that Kagome decided that she was particularly unsatisfied with the customer service the universe was providing her with and that she would really like to file a letter of complaint. _Dear Universe, _she began. _You're kind of a jerk. Can you please try to suck less? Love, Kagome._

Now all she had to do was wait for post offices to be invented...and insane asylums, since she obviously should be in one.

Mental health and imaginary letters aside, Kagome spent the rest of the day in relative misery. Her three new friends came to change her bandages and talk about the lavish feast they had attended last night, but soon they were off to tend to their own affairs, leaving Kagome to ponder last night's events.

Apparently Sesshoumaru hadn't attended the feast, though he had been invited, and Kagome had to wonder where he was. Even as evening drew close he still hadn't so much as looked in on her, which upset her far more than she thought that it should have. It was strange, the uneasiness that his absence stirred within her, but she assured herself that it was only because she didn't like the idea that he was still mad at her. She hated it when people were angry with her, so obviously this was why she was on the verge of crawling down the hallway in search of him.

It had nothing to do with the fact that she was bored and missed talking to him. Nope, nothing at all.

_Delusion is grand, _she thought to herself wistfully.

The next two days passed in much the same way. She would wake up, have her bandages changed, eat the meals that were brought up for her, miss Sesshoumaru, and fall back asleep. She knew that she was getting better, she could feel the skin on her back stretch and tighten as it hastily mended, and she could even sit up now without being in pain. But she was far from completely healed and she knew it.

She had been secluded to this one room of what promised to be a very large, impressive demon manor, and she was getting restless. She hardly talked to anyone and for the most part she was ignored. Which was probably a good thing, seeing as most attention she would receive around here would be homicidal at best, but then again, a fight to the death might actually liven things up around this place!

And then there was Sesshoumaru. She had gone from missing him, to being slightly annoyed with him, to being thoroughly pissed at him. She hadn't seen him in three days! Three whole days! It was just rude, she decided. Three days was an awful long time for a hissy fit, even for someone as stubborn and stuck-up as him. He needed to get over it and get his butt over to see her before she went mad and started having conversations with the walls! Because contrary to popular belief, the walls did not have ears and would not be able to listen to her, nor would they be able to respond.

Not that the taiyoukai was ever very responsive, but talking to him was a lot more sane than talking to walls...maybe.

So, it was on the third night of her conscious solitude that Kagome found herself restlessly contemplating all the ways in which she might purify his haughty self. It was extremely cathartic, she decided. Picturing Sesshoumaru with burnt eyebrows and a singed nose was an image that never failed to entertain, but it was also a lame substitute for reality.

Just as Kagome was about to give up and attempt to lull herself to sleep, a very strong demonic aura sparked at the edge of her senses. It was approaching her room! It was right outside the door! It was...stopping? It was turning around! It was leaving!

"Oh no you don't!" Kagome exclaimed, throwing caution to the wind and throwing herself out of bed. She stumbled and had to grab onto the wall for support, but she was standing nonetheless. "Get back here!"

She threw open the door to her room and tripped gracelessly out into the hall with just enough time to see silver hair disappear around the corner. It struck her as funny that he would let himself be caught, he was more than fast enough to be on the other side of the building by now, but maybe he hadn't actually figured she would follow him.

"Sesshoumaru, get back here!" She growled, stumbling around the corner only to barely avoid running straight into him.

He caught her by the arm as she almost fell back. "Miko, why are you out of bed?" He questioned coldly, not letting go of her arm even when she was steady enough to stand. He had been checking on her for the past three nights as she slept, but this night she was up much later than she should have been and had sensed him. He wasn't about to go crawling back to her side like some repentant pup, and so, he turned and left.

With her wounds he hadn't actually thought that she would be stupid enough to follow him, which was of course his fault. One should never underestimate the miko's stupidity for it knew no bounds.

"Why are _you_ sneaking up to my room at night and checking on me while I'm supposed to be asleep?" She shot back, glaring at him. "Afraid of little human girls?"

He raised a brow at her audacity. "I do not answer to you, wench."

"That's funny, because I'm pretty sure I had to explain myself to you just the other day," she said with false sincerity.

He looked over her head as if she didn't even exist and refused to acknowledge her.

"Oh, you-you jackass! Get over yourself!" She yelled. "Stop acting so high and mighty, you're not a god! The world would still turn if you weren't here, ya know!" She harrumphed.

"I am a demon, girl, my station _is _higher than yours," he growled.

"Youkai, humans, they're the same! We're just here to put on a show for whoever wants to watch!" She exclaimed in near hysterics. "And we will, too! We'll fight and fight and fight until one of us is dead, until one of us is gone, and you know what? The world will keep on spinning when that happens too. We don't change the world, Sesshoumaru, the world changes itself. We aren't more or less important than each other because really, we aren't important at all!"

"Get to bed, miko, before you spout more nonsense."

"No!" She exclaimed, wrenching her arm out of his grasp angrily. "You don't get to dismiss me! You don't get to yell at me and not talk to me for three days! You don't get to stand there and pretend like this is all my fault, punish me like I'm a child that needs to be taught a lesson!"

She turned away from him panting and leaned against the wall for support. "You didn't even come to see me for three days, for all I knew you had just left without me! Do you know what it feels like to be in the dark and the only person who can tell you what's going has just disappeared?"

She turned her big, brown eyes on him and they seemed to glisten and shine, drawing him in.

He sighed, and for the first time in a very long time, he actually found himself feeling guilty. "I did not mean to cause you distress," he said stiffly. "But this is not the place to discuss such matters, you should not be standing."

She nodded, agreeing with him for once, and reluctantly accepted his arm when he offered it to her. She guessed that putting aside her pride for a moment was a heck of a lot more productive than stumbling back to her room like a drunken sailor. And besides, he had a nice arm: steady and firm and strangely warm. Seriously, was he always this warm? She was pretty sure that couldn't be healthy...but maybe demons ran at a higher temperature than humans? Prime enzyme environments and stuff...

Shaking her head exhaustedly at the thought of demonic biochemistry, Kagome managed to shuffle back to her room. Once inside she gladly took a seat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her aching back.

"I'm sorry for causing you distress, too," she said moodily as he sat down beside her and stared at the floor as though he could see right through it. "I know you were just worried that I could've gotten myself killed...not that I know _why_ you were worried about that."

He slanted his gaze towards her and gave her a calculating stare. "I do not know why myself, miko," he told her. "You are a vexing creature, a frustration, but it have found that it..._displeases_ me to see you injured."

"Princess Aiko said it was because you considered me your pack," she remembered.

"Hn," he responded, once again returning his gaze to the floor.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably, she wasn't really sure what that meant, but she wasn't about to push it. Biting her lip, she worried the threads at the ends of her sleeves. "Did...did you really growl at everyone?" She asked, unable to resist the blush that rose on her cheeks.

He huffed and straightened his back, lifting his aristocratic nose into the air. "You were placed under This Sesshoumaru's protection and as such I am honor bound to prevent any future harm from befalling you."

"And growling at the help was necessary?" She said skeptically.

"Yes," he snapped.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

He gave her a sidelong glare as if to say, _of course it is 'whatever I say' I am master of all things sensical and right. Do not question me again, pathetic human._

"There is still something I do not understand, miko," he said after a moment's pause. "What is it about my half-brother that you take preference in his protection over mine?" It was something that had been on the edge of his thoughts since they had arrived here. He, Sesshouamaru, was obviously more capable of protecting her, and yet, she went dashing off to deal with things on her own. Did she find him incompetent? That would not do.

Kagome blushed again and took her turn to stare at the floor boards. "I don't know...I guess...I guess it's just because you make me feel like I have the power to do things on my own. No one's ever told me that I was strong, no one's ever believed in me enough to take care of things myself...not until you," she said shyly. "Inuyasha always comes to my rescue, but when I fought that bear youkai, you let me kill him on my own...it made me feel important, like I could actually do something that mattered instead of just always getting in the way."

He slid his gaze to her face as she sighed and ran her fingers through her thick hair.

"It's just that...before everyone always tried to catch me before I fell, like I was some weak, little doll," she mumbled. "But sometimes I think you just need to let people fall even if it hurts them...just be there to help them back up, you know?"

"Sometimes we fall too far, miko," he said darkly. "One cannot always get back up, even with help."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I'm going to hide behind everyone else for the rest of my life," she huffed. "I may not be fast or strong like you or Inuyasha, but I've fought my fair share of demons and lived through it. That's got to count for something."

He considered her words for a moment and chose his response carefully, he knew she could be a bit...touchy at times. "You are powerful, miko, but do not think yourself invincible," he told her. "To be cautious is to stay alive: remember this."

Kagome frowned. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she sighed, an awkward silence settling over the pair.

The young miko glanced over at the youkai lord and noticed that Sesshoumaru - for once in his life - did not look entirely bored, just sort of distant. It was as though he were searching for answers that only he could see and Kagome really hoped he found some so he could share them with her. This whole situation was getting seriously confusing and she didn't really know what to think about it. The cold demon lord she once feared and somewhat despised, now sat beside her, telling her that she was strong and giving her advice...almost like a friend.

And she realized that Sesshoumaru _was_ her friend, she had only been with him a little over a week, but there was no denying that they had both grown comfortable around each other. Slid into each other's lives like a silent serpent weaving through the fabric of their beings, twining them together. She didn't quite know how it happened, or when it happened, but they had both become a part of the other's lives. They would always share this strange, intangible bond that she could not truly describe.

Things between them would never be the same, would they? At the end of this journey they would part ways, but something told her that they would meet again.

"You need rest," Sesshoumaru stated, interrupting Kagome from her internal musings. He stood up and started making his way towards the door, but just as he was about to exit, Kagome spoke.

"I didn't bow," she said quietly, but fiercely, "he told me to, but I didn't."

With his back still to her he said, "I know."

"I'm glad I didn't, he didn't deserve it."

"He did not," the inuyoukai agreed, wondering where the miko was going with this.

"You told me that I should do what makes me proud, and I did," she said simply. "I'm proud I didn't bow, even if it means I'll carry these scars the rest of my life."

He turned to her then, his golden, piercing eyes searching her face. She didn't know why she wanted to tell him this, but it felt like he should know. That he should realize that he had helped her even if only through his words.

"And I'm sick of being a doll, okay?" She mumbled, "I can help you, I know I can. I won't break."

"Your injuries say otherwise, girl," he said blandly, his eyes flickering to her torn back.

"Hey, that doesn't make me broken!" She huffed. "Just...gently used!"

The taiyoukai sighed; he really was getting too old for this sort of meaningless argument. "Do as you wish, I will not prevent you from aiding in battle as long as your safety remains assured."

Kagome instantly brightened, her ridiculous, lavish smile blooming on her face and igniting the whole room with its fire. "Thanks, I won't let you down!"

"I have retrieved your pack," he told her, finding nothing else to say. "I did not think you would like to be without it. Now, goodnight, foolish miko."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_Sometimes my fingers don't really do as they're told._

_They type something stupid, or something too bold._

_But don't be afraid, don't you dare fret._

_They haven't typed nonsense, at least not as of yet..._

Yay! Sorry, there will be no update this Sunday, it is my high school graduation and I have a ton of stuff to do, like go to the 8 parties that my friends so conveniently decided to have on the same day...

So, to hold you over, I recommend reading _Remnants of a Spider_, by Priestess Sianna, or _Beside You In Time_, by RosieB.


	20. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19_

**Author's Note:**

Sooooo, ready for my long excuse as to why this is so very, very late? Okay, here goes, I had graduation parties, I had warped tour, I had college orientation, I had camping, I had the Renaissance festival, I had to...clean stuff? Yeah, I had shit to do. Plus, I was just being lazy. I do it a lot. Sorry. I actually had this written, but I haven't been home for more than like five minutes the past month so I'm updating now. Deal with it.

* * *

_My head isn't screwed on right, _Kagome argued with herself. _That has to be it, a blind man with one hand screwed on my head and he did it all wrong. That's the only explanation for this._

"Miko, stop your fidgeting," Sesshoumaru growled as Kagome wiggled in an attempt to find a more comfortable position.

"I can't help it! You're shoulder is like a rock!" She huffed, poking said shoulder for emphasis. She continued to poke and, miraculously, it continued to be rock solid.

"You complained that walking aggravated your injuries, and now you complain that my shoulder is too hard. Will you never be satisfied?" He drawled.

"I'll be satisfied when we take a break," she mumbled petulantly.

Sesshoumaru fought back another growl of frustration. "We have already wasted enough time."

Kagome rolled her eyes and played moodily with the white fur of the pelt that adorned his shoulder. The same shoulder that she was currently draped over. The same shoulder that was jabbing her liver.

It was fantastically uncomfortable!

They had left the kitsune palace that morning after a few heartfelt goodbyes to the three women who had become her fast friends, and had been walking South ever since. At first she was fine, but her back began to bother her after awhile. Even though Sesshoumaru had chivalrously insisted on shouldering her backpack himself - something Kagome thought was uncharacteristically sweet of him - her back still wasn't completely healed and simple movements still upset it. She probably could have done with another day's rest, but she had decided that she didn't want to wait any longer and so, Aiko had sent her on her way with more than enough of that healing cream to last her for at least another week or two.

But healing cream or no healing cream, her back was on freakin' fire! All she wanted to do was sit down on a nice rock and glare at her shoes until the pain went away. Was that so much to ask?

Apparently it was.

She had told Sesshoumaru she needed a break, but he had merely scoffed at her and hoisted her over his shoulder much like how Izanagi had done back at the bone eater's well. And that's how she found herself in this position: tossed over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, playing with his fur...thing, and seriously trying to resist the urge to purify his ear in retribution.

She was also very adamantly ignoring the warm, clawed hand that firmly rested on her upper thigh, holding her in place. Yup, she was completely ignoring it. Hand? What hand? There obviously wasn't a pale, striped, taiyoukai hand squeezing the backs of her legs and making her feel very funny inside. No, of course not. Ridiculous.

_Just a little higher and he'd practically be groping you, _her brain added absentmindedly. She told it to shut the hell up and do something useful...like wipe out all the teenage hormones from her system.

"What is this anyway?" She asked to distract herself, gesturing to the white fur that he never seemed to be without.

He sighed tiredly. Sesshoumaru was not daft, he knew that his...unsociable nature was not tolerated by the miko. She would simply keep repeating herself like a mockingbird he begrudgingly could not kill until he answered. "It is a symbol of status in the house of inu," he told her. "When a inuyoukai of noble blood reaches maturity, they receive a ceremonial pelt from the eldest member of their family."

"Oh, like a birthday present!" Kagome said brightly.

"It is not a 'present'," he scoffed. "It is a most sacred custom, passed down since they very first inu families conquered these lands."

"If someone gives it to you, it's a present," Kagome argued. "Just like in the future when someone turns sixteen, sometimes their parents get them cars. It's a custom, but it's still a present."

Sesshoumaru remained silent.

"Aren't you going to ask what a car is?" She wanted to know.

He shrugged. "I do not particularly care."

"Of course not," she sighed, "because cars are actually interesting and you being interested in something is against the laws of physics...not that you know what physics is, but I guess you wouldn't care about that either."

Sesshoumaru turned his head to glare at her. "Are you quite finished?"

"Yes."

"Good, now silence."

_Yup, my head is totally screwed on wrong, I should probably get it fixed,_ she sighed inwardly.

"Just how much farther do we have to go before we find the lord who has the spear?" She asked. "Inuyasha is probably freaking out, he's kind of dramatic when it comes to me."

"The whelp knows not patience," Sesshoumaru said distastefully. "I would expect nothing less from a-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she rolled her eyes. "He's a filthy half-breed, a stain on your reputation, a disgrace to youkai and human alike. Blah, blah, blah! But he's also my friend and he is going to be worried about me."

"It is of no consequence to me."

"Okay, but if you don't answer my question, I'll just keep talking on and on and on and on and on and on-" Kagome paused to take a breath "-and on and on and on and on and on-"

"Enough!" He growled in an exhausted manner that a parent might take with an overzealous child. "We must cross the thunder plains to reach the Southern lord's fortress. We should arrive in three days time if I do not kill you by then."

Kagome gulped. "T-thunder plains? That sounds...yucky."

"It will not be a pleasant three days," he concurred, giving her an odd look for her vocabulary and not to mention her complete disregard for his threat on her life.

"Well, does that at least mean we're finally gonna get out of this forrest?" She asked, trying to look on the bright side.

He gave her a curt nod. "Though, the forrest is a great deal less dangerous than the plains. I do not think our departure is anything to celebrate...at least from your perspective, miko."

"Great, just great," she said sulkily. "I go from shiny, silver palace, to dark, stuffy endless forrest, to danger riddled thunder plains. Awesome, what's next? The stinking, alligator-filled, mud pits of doom?"

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "Now it is you who is being dramatic."

"My life is the definition of drama - I can be dramatic if I want to be," she huffed.

"Just because one has the potential for something, does not mean they should pursue it," he intoned.

"You know what?" Kagome sighed. "I think I liked it better when you ignored me. All your sagely wisdom is kind of annoying."

Sesshoumaru leveled her a hard glare. "Do not speak of annoyances, miko," he said dryly. "Or you will surely be guilty of hypocrisy."

"I'm going to be guilty of homicide in a minute," she whispered to herself.

Sesshoumaru blinked at her as if in surprise, and then chuckled despite himself.

Kagome was so taken aback she almost fell off his shoulder.

***

"It feels weird sleeping under the stars again," Kagome commented as she spread out her sleeping bag in the plush grass that surrounded them and plopped down. They had finally found their way out of the forrest around midday and hadn't seen a tree since. Nothing but open skies and endless fields of grass as far as the eye could see.

Sesshoumaru shrugged and continued to look at the sky.

"What're you lookin' for?" She wanted to know. He had been staring at the clouds for at least five minutes now; anything that captured his attention that long was probably worth noting.

"They are called the thunder plains for a reason, miko," he said blandly. "We must me vigilant for storms."

"Oh," she frowned. "Do you think we'll get caught in one?"

He remained silent, which Kagome figured was his way of saying he didn't know. Super.

"I don't like storms," she muttered when she was sure he had nothing else to say. She peaked at him from under her lashes, hoping for...well, she didn't know what she hoped for. Maybe a comforting word, some small reassurance, a simple acknowledgement of her existence, but he just stood there and continued to stare at the sky. She didn't know why it made her feel so terrible that he was receding back into his silent shell. After all, she was used to his silence. She guessed she had just thought they were past all that. Perhaps she was wrong...

She focused her gaze back to her lap and wondered if things had ever _really_ changed between them at all. Maybe she had just imagined all those words he had said to her in the kitsune palace, maybe he had only talked with her this afternoon to mollify her, maybe he still wanted to kill her when this was over, or maybe they would part ways after this journey and he would never talk to her again.

And deep in her chest Kagome's heart constricted and she didn't know why. It was an aching hurt, one that she felt down to her very core, one that she had felt much too often for someone so young.

The pain she felt was heartbreak, and though it was a familiar pain, she was completely befuddled by it. Her heart only broke for Inuyasha, not Sesshoumaru, definitely not Sesshoumaru.

"Miko, do not cry," Sesshoumaru commanded, sounding vaguely horrified. He had smelled the salty tang of tears beginning to form behind her eyes and he had no intention of allowing them to fall.

She sniffed and looked up to find him watching her with piercing eyes full of apprehension, revulsion, and concern. Kagome smiled weakly -maybe he did care after all.

"Sorry, I'm just tired," she shrugged and watched as he lifted an aristocratic brow and continued to observe her with the air of someone attempting to diffuse a nuclear warhead. _Geez, are tears really so bad? You'd think they were anthrax the way people - well, youkai and half-youkai - in this era react to them. _

"Oh, don't look so terrified," she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to cry, okay?"

_Oh no! Emotions? Run away, run away! _She thought scathingly.

"Miko, This Sesshoumaru was not-"

"Yeah, whatever," she sighed airily, interrupting him mid-sentence. "Just wait until Rin hits puberty. You had better get over your ridiculous aversion to tears because no one cries more than a teenage girl. Just warning you."

He gave her a dubious look and she could tell that he thought she was trying to deceive him. If only he knew how true her words were...

"And would you sit down? You're making me nervous just standing there," she told him.

Well, now that she thought about it, would he sit down? She had never seen him sleep against anything but a tree and there certainly wasn't any trees here...unless he had magic tree conjuring powers, which she was pretty sure he didn't. Still, he couldn't stand there all night, could he?

He gave her a glare that clearly said he was not appreciative of her less than respectful tone, but lowered himself to the ground nonetheless, sitting in a perfect lotus position. Kagome thought it looked terribly uncomfortable.

"Come to think of it, how did you even...you know...meet Rin?" She wondered. In retrospect, a self-professed human hating demon lord and a little human girl were a very unlikely pair. Perhaps even more unlikely than a taiyoukai and a miko.

He shrugged stiffly. "She discovered me injured in the forrest, I later found her dead. I revived her wishing to test Tensaiga's abilities."

"Oh," she said lamely. "How come you let her follow you?"

"She had no kin," he responded.

"Okay...but why didn't you just pawn her off on some village?" Kagome continued to pry. "Why keep her with you all this time?"

He slid her golden eyes to hers and stared at her for a long moment, his gaze hard and guarded. Kagome wanted to look away, but she couldn't, not when his eyes were holding her in place. "I believe you know the answer, miko," he said quietly and his stare returned to the stars.

The miko blinked, confused, for a few moments before the meaning of his words finally hit her. The reason he kept that little human girl with him, the reason he hadn't left her at some strange village to become someone else's problem, perhaps the reason he had revived her in the first place, was so painstakingly obvious that she had completely overlooked it. She had asked him a question that she did, in fact, know the answer to. Sesshoumaru kept Rin because he loved her.

Well, in Sesshoumaru's mind, he would probably explain it as he didn't _hate_ her, but it was the same difference really. It was always obvious that he cared about her, but to have him admit it was something that Kagome had never thought she would live to see. _Miracles do happen! _She thought giddily.

Kagome grinned. "Awwwww, that is the cutest thing I think I've ever heard," she giggled, throwing the taiyoukai a sly grin.

She found that he was adamantly refusing to look at her. "Miko, be mindful of your tongue, or I will cut it out," he growled, dark and dangerous.

"No you won't," she teased, giving his shoulder a playful nudge. "Because you're just a big softie, aren't you?"

A feral growl escaped his lips, almost as though he were trying to prove just how much of a terrifying monster he truly was.

"Oh, calm down," she giggled. "I'm just joking. I know you're a great, powerful, terrible demon. You don't have to get all primal on me."

He stubbornly turned away from her, his eyes closing as he attempted to make the world - and more specifically, her - disappear.

Deciding that she had probably taken things a little too far and that she really was very lucky that he seemed to have determined that she was worthy of his leniency, Kagome set about the task of getting ready for bed. She had already eaten dinner courtesy of the supplies princess Aiko had fitted her with, and now all that was left to do was change into her pajamas...and rub the healing salve on her back.

_Hmmm, this could be tricky, _Kagome concluded as she fished out the medicinal jar from her pack and gave it a long, calculating look.

Deciding to tackle that particular hurdle later, she grabbed her pajamas. "Well, I'm going to change now," she said loudly, giving the demon lord a significant look. His eyes were still resolutely shut. Kagome cleared her throat nervously and really wished that there was at least a bush or something that she could change behind, which of course there wasn't. "Soooo, nobody better be looking," she hinted.

Sesshoumaru lifted a brow, but otherwise remained completely motionless, his back to her, his silver hair fluttering in the wind.

Kagome gave him one last look before turning around and quickly scrambling out of her yukata and practically vaulting into her flannel pants and cotton tank top. She was pretty sure she set some sort of record for briefest period of nudity in between wardrobe transitions. She felt accomplished.

"Okay, I'm done," she announced to her sleeping bag, grabbing the jar of salve off of the ground and giving it another glare as though a solution to her now very pressing problem would suddenly materialize.

She had never put the medicine on herself, someone had always done it for her because, obviously, she couldn't really _reach _her own back all that well. But now there was just her and Sesshoumaru, no helpful maids to tend to her...why was life so hard? Her back was killing her and she had no way of spreading this stuff without making a complete and utter mess! What was she going to do?

Kagome had a vague suspicion she knew just exactly what she was going to have to do, she also knew that she didn't like it one bit.

"Uh...Sesshoumaru?" She said hesitantly. She waited long enough that he actually opened his eyes to look at her. "I can't...um...I can't reach."

Silence.

"I'm supposed to put this on my back," she said awkwardly, playing with the lid of the jar to distract herself from the blush slowly working its way onto her cheeks. "I think I need...you're going to have to help me. If you want to, that is. N-not that you would want to. But I really do need to do this and normally I wouldn't ask, but I don't see any other way..."

"Miko," he sighed, "stop your mindless blabber. I will assist you."

Her mouth shut with an audibly click and she nodded at him, her jaw set in a line so tight she thought her bones would surely break. Neither party made any attempts to move...they just stared at each other...for a long time. It was awkward, Kagome decided, very awkward, maybe the most awkward moment of her life.

"I believe..." Sesshoumaru began, sounding more hesitant than she had ever heard him. "It would be pertinent for you to...undress."

Never mind, _that_ was the most awkward moment of her life. "Oh...right," she agreed, turning a shade of red so violent that she was sure she had invented a new color. "I guess I'll do that."

He looked away as she stood up and walked over to him, setting the jar of salve by his side before turning her back to him and quickly lifting her shirt over her head. She hugged the shirt to her chest as she sat down in front of him and carefully pushed her hair over one shoulder so that it wouldn't be in the way. She was calm. She was cool. She was collected. She was totally fine with this whole situation...

_I'M HALF NAKED IN FRONT OF SESSHOURMARU AND HE'S GOING TO RUB STUFF ALL OVER MY NAKED, NAKED, BACK!!! _She inwardly screamed, feeling as though she may just actually be glowing from the intensity of the blush that she now wore.

He heard him shift behind her and a quiet, strangled sort of noise - something between a growl and a gasp - caught in his throat.

Sesshoumaru stared at the four, angry red lines that marred the young woman's pale, ivory skin and felt his eyes bleed red. Before she had been placed under his protection she was whole, unharmed, she was beautiful. But now she was flawed, she was flawed like him and it was all his fault. He had left her, he hadn't been quick enough to save her, he had failed. Would she hate her scars if she could see them? Would she hate the youkai that had given them to her? Would she hate _him _for not protecting her?

No, Kagome did not hate. She was incapable of such emotions, but for once, he wished that she wasn't. He wished that she _would _hate him, he wished she would hate him as much as he hated the scars he now had to mend. He was accustomed to being hated, he was not accustomed to the horrible guilt he felt deep within his chest, a burning ache so intense that he wanted to rip out his own heart simply as a distraction.

Pushing back all conscious thought, Sesshoumaru dipped one clawed finger in the salve and carefully ran it down the length of one scar, watching with morbid fascination as Kagome's muscles shivered beneath her skin. He wondered if others would hate her scars as much as he did, he wondered if they would hate _her _for having them.

Would they reject her? Would she become a damaged woman - a lady neither wanted nor loved? A growl built in his throat at the thought. Yes, he hated her scars, but only because he had indirectly been the one to put them there. They reminded him of the pain he had been unable to prevent, but he could never hate her for having them. She was Kagome, no matter how bruised or battered, and the wounds on her back were a symbol of everything about her that he found so admirable.

In her scars were strength, loyalty, and a power that was only threatening because of the shear will she placed behind it. She was no longer an innocent, soft girl, and her scars made her look dangerous. They made her look like the powerful miko he knew she was. And Sesshoumaru realized that maybe scars did not have to be imperfections at all, maybe some creatures were never meant to be whole until they were damaged, maybe some wounds were meant to be apart of you all along.

And with that thought in mind, Sesshoumaru dipped his fingers back into the medicine jar and continued mending the miko that was never really broken to begin with.

Meanwhile, Kagome was having a fit. Yes, that must be what was happening to her because all of her limbs suddenly felt like jello and limbs did not spontaneously melt into gelatinous, useless appendages without a reason. And so, Kagome logically concluded that this reason had to be that she was having a fit. Obviously.

Except that she wasn't having a fit. She was simply being stroked by a very beautiful demon lord...wait, that sounded sort of dirty, didn't it? Revising her internal statement, Kagome announced very firmly that she was being stroked in a purely _platonic _way, by a very beautiful demon lord.

And she wasn't enjoying it at all. Nope, not at all, but don't ask the traitorous butterflies in her stomach because they were damn liars. They were all fluttery and happy and dangerously close to making her moan every time his deceivingly delicate fingers carefully slid over her skin. Stupid butterflies! Sesshoumaru was just doing this to help her out, there was no need to get all worked up!

_But his fingers are like magic, _her suddenly less-than platonic mind reasoned. She mentally locked that part of her brain in a metal cage and sent it off to the arctic circle. _His fingers are not magic, they're just normal fingers! Even if they _do _feel amazing..._

Kagome tried very adamantly to concentrate on breathing...it was a lot harder than she remembered. He was too close to her, he was touching her too intimately (even if it was only to treat her wounds), she was too exposed, and her tummy felt too funny. It was all too much. His touch that sizzled across her skin, his breath that whispered behind her like a forbidden song never meant to be sung, the glow of a cloudless night sky that left her completely exposed on this tree-less plain, the strange stirrings of some foreign feeling deep within her...it made her want to melt, made her want to fall back into Sesshoumaru and wrap herself around him until she never had to let go, but mostly it made her scared.

Kagome, for the first time in a long time, was terrified. _This is Sesshoumaru, this is Inuyasha's brother! _She screamed to herself. _Remember Inuyasha? The boy you love? You can't be having these thoughts for Sesshoumaru! He's not really the one you want to be making you feel this way...is he?_

She didn't know and that scared her even more.

"Um, I think t-that's good," Kagome said shakily, leaning away from him and quickly throwing her shirt back over her head. "T-thanks for your help."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head curtly and wiped salve from his fingers in the long grass.

"Okay...well, goodnight," she smiled tentatively, still trying to chase away the butterflies in her stomach, but not particularly succeeding. She turned back to her sleeping bag when she received nothing but silence, and began to settle herself between the worn, tattered folds of fabric, but suddenly something warm and a incredibly heavy was being draped over her shoulders.

"Wha?" Kagome managed to say before she was completely engulfed in a sea of soft, white fur.

"We have no wood in which to make a fire, you will be cold," the pelt-less taiyoukai told her stiffly, giving her a cold glare that clearly said he would have no comments about his nice gesture and that he still was an almighty killer that would bathe in her blood if he felt the urge.

Kagome smiled. "Thanks, I guess I didn't think about that."

"Hn, I am not surprised," he said in his infuriatingly condescending tone.

The miko rolled her eyes in amusement and collapsed onto her stomach, wrapping the fur pelt around her bare arms and feeling as though she would wake up entirely consumed by the white fur. She would undoubtedly have to fight her way out come morning, but that was hours away, right now she had some sleep to catch up on.

"And miko..." Sesshoumaru hesitated, startling Kagome from the brink of sleep. "...sleep well, you have earned a good night's rest."

"Uh, alright," she said slowly, wondering why his compliments were always so...weird.

Kagome let sleep take her as Sesshoumaru stood beside her and watched the stars.

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_I'm going to college._

_This whole summer just flew._

_My schedule is fucked up._

_But please still review._

Yup. True life.


	21. Chapter 20

_Chapter 20_

*****REALLY SUPER AWESOME AUTHOR'S NOTE*****

So, turns out I've been nominated for the Dokuga Awards (2 in fact), which is intense and I'm super excited!!! This story has been nominated under best action/adventure and _What Kagome's Cooking _has been nominated for best one shot. Voting begins on August 9th (THAT'S TODAY SO GET TO IT!). I would be honored if you would vote for me.

Anyway, I just wanted to take this space to thank all of you guys for your support for this story, I remember posting the first couple chapters and only getting like ten reviews, and now it has over 100 and almost 20,000 reads! You guys are my motivation and make writing ten times more enjoyable than it already is. So, to anyone just getting into writing, don't be discouraged if your story isn't getting enough love right away, because things can definitely pick up. You guys rock, this chapter is for you.

* * *

Humans were disgusting, disgusting creatures. They had nasty habits and annoying inclinations that Sesshoumaru felt hard pressed to imagine how anyone - even their mates - could put up with.

He had watched a working man scratch his behind without shame as his wife only shook her head with an amused expression on her face. He had seen a child stick his chubby, dirt-covered fingers into his nose and then remove them and place his slimy hand in his mother's to be led home.

Like he said: disgusting.

But Kagome, as it would seem, was unable to disgust him no matter what she did. He had happened upon this significant realization just yesterday when he had been forced, yet again, to stop and rest while the miko slumped to the ground and sniffled with an illness. She had called it an 'allergies' and blamed it on the 'damn pollen', but at that moment he couldn't help but think that she looked on the verge of death.

Her hair was disheveled and her nose was dripping as well as her eyes. Her face was red with heat and she smelled of something unpleasant - like a stagnant pond on a stiflingly hot day. Yet he had knelt beside her without even a sneer and raised her strange water skin to her lips, allowing her to drink in greedy, noisy gulps.

He didn't notice how repulsive he normally would have found this blatant weakness of the human body, nor how abhorrent he should have found her appearance. All he saw was Kagome, and repulsive and abhorrent were two words that he could just not describe her as no matter what she did. Or how she looked. Or what her nose dripped.

To him, her human tendencies were barely noticed at all.

Sometimes she would clear her throat just a little too often as a sort of nervous tick, or pick under her fingernails even though she had cleared out any dirt that had been under them hours ago. She laughed just a little too loud and chewed on her lip just a little too much and had a strange habit of paying more attention to the ends of her hair as she plucked split ends than the world around her.

Not to mention when she ate it was without grace or ceremony. She could go around with a piece of rice on her lip for twenty minutes before she discovered it or accidentally brushed it off.

Had it been anyone else, Sesshoumaru would have detested these things. He would have found them annoying, or bothersome, or pointless, or distasteful, but for her he had none of these thoughts.

The way she cleared her throat simply let him know that she was still there and when she picked at her nails the only thought he could think was how small and delicate her fingers were. Her lips were always flushed a beautiful rose from the abuse her teeth inflicted upon them and the way she plucked at her hair with such a look of concentration almost made him smile that someone could focus so entirely on such a menial task.

Well, almost...if he smiled.

And as for her eating habits: he couldn't care less if she slurped her noodles or was constantly on the verge of dropping her food from her utensils to her lap. He could watch her eat for hours simply to see her small, girlish nose crinkle in frustration as she spilled whatever she happened to be consuming onto her sleeve.

He even begrudgingly admitted to himself that her excessively loud laughter was probably the only sound he would ever take comfort in because that sound meant that she was happy, and when Kagome was happy, he found that he was too.

Though he was positive that this was just because a happy Kagome meant that she wasn't annoying him with trivial questions or yelling at him for whatever offense he had most recently dealt her.

Yes, of course that was why.

And so, it was with this new revelation in mind that Sesshoumaru, almighty taiyoukai of the west, found himself extricating one very grumpy miko from amidst a mound of white fur.

"Miko, I do wish you would close your mouth when you sleep," he said distastefully. "Perhaps then you would not drool like an imbecile."

She grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like orders to jump off the nearest cliff, and collapsed back onto the ground in a pathetic heap.

"Wench," Sesshoumaru warned.

"Go away. Sleeping." she mumbled into the grass.

Remembering that she was still injured, and that kicking her awake was probably ill-advised if he wished her to heal in a timely manner, Sesshoumaru decided to try something different today. Kneeling beside the miko he leaned in so that his mouth was mere millimeters away from her ear and in nothing but a whisper he said, "Kagome, my sweet, it is time to get up."

Satisfied with his work, Sesshoumaru leaned back and watched with amusement as Kagome shot up, horror clear on her face. "W-what did you just say?" She squeaked, clutching his fur pelt to her body as if it would preserve her modesty for all eternity if only she held it tightly enough.

"Ah, now that I have your attention, may I point out the high position of the sun in the sky?" He asked innocently as he rose to his feet and brushed the few pieces of grass from his hakama.

Kagome leveled him a befuddled stare. "Did you...did you just freak-me-out awake?" She asked.

He paused as if trying to decide if that was an accurate description for the brilliant act he had just executed, before shrugging lightly and turning away. "I do not know what you speak of, now, let us get going."

Deciding that ignoring this whole situation was probably the best idea, Kagome changed and packed and they were soon on their way. Sesshoumaru once again shouldered her backpack, which made him look sort of ridiculous, but Kagome wasn't complaining. Her back felt a lot better, but pawning off her heavy gear on someone with superhuman strength was definitely something she could get used to. Inuyasha would never do that for her, so she should bask in the glorious chivalry while she could.

"So, two more days and then we're gonna be there, huh?" Kagome asked more to make conversation than anything.

"If we are not delayed," Sesshoumaru agreed.

"Will it be...dangerous?" She wondered. "I mean, I know it's not going to be easy, but you can fight this Southern Lord, right? You're the strongest demon ever, it should be easy...right?"

Resisting the urge to smirk at her backhanded flattery, he shrugged. "I have never crossed swords with the Southern Dragon Lord, though I believe it is safe to assume that he will be a worthy adversary if he has the assistance of a god's weaponry."

Kagome frowned. "Oh...I guess you're right," she mumbled. "We could really get hurt, couldn't we? We could even die..."

Sesshoumaru remained silent as though her sudden revelation was old news.

"Wow, I guess I just really didn't think this mission thing would be so dangerous. I mean, up until now it's been kind of fun - horrible flesh wounds aside," she babbled. "But now we're actually going to have to risk our _lives._"

Raising one high arched brow, Sesshoumaru asked, "you have knowingly entered battles before, were you not risking your life then?"

The miko shrugged. "Not really, I never really did much fighting. There were three other highly trained warriors to help me and save me, not to mention Kirara and Shippou to bring me to safety, but now it's just you and me. I'm just as much apart of this as you are and, I don't know, I guess it's just a little scary to think that I'm one of the warriors now."

"I will not let harm befall you, Kagome," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Oh," she said, taken aback by the sudden intensity in his voice. "Okay."

"You should not think such morbid thoughts, miko," he said in his usual aloof tone, as though he hadn't just adamantly declared that he would protect her from any harm. "It does not suit you."

She could only stare at the back of his head and gape. This was very un-Sesshoumaru like behavior and it was freaking her out. First, he was actually modest about how he didn't know if he could easily defeat the other lord. Then, he was all protective over her. Now he was back to being his old, disinterested self.

Kagome shook her head tiredly and decided that life was obviously a lot harder then she had originally thought - and she had thought it was pretty dang difficult to begin with. If only she had never met any of these frustrating dog demons then she could be home, happily drinking tea and watching television like any other girl. Seriously, it was like she attracted canine youkai with extreme personality flaws. Why couldn't she attract something useful? Like hot inuyoukai who had difficulty keeping their shirts on.

Oblivious to Kagome's internal distress, Sesshoumaru was discovering a few problems of his own. For one, his nose was itchy, which was incredibly distracting. Secondly, not only was an itchy nose obnoxious, but it was also a warning, a warning of what was coming, and what was coming was what truly troubled the demon lord.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru sighed; he knew what he was about to reveal would not go over well with his overexcitable companion. "There is a storm approaching."

Kagome shook herself away from her thoughts and decided to rejoin reality. "What?"

And that was when the skies decided to open up.

The rain came pouring down onto the two and Kagome 'eeped' in displeasure, frantically searching for somewhere to hide from the rain.

"Oh, I hate the rain!" She said quite unnecessarily. The way she was trying desperately to cover herself as though the rain was comprised of acid, not water, was proof enough of her distaste.

Sesshoumaru looked around them, searching for any signs of shelter, but as expected there was nothing but the wide, open, grassy plains for miles and miles.

Sesshoumaru had the rare urge to swear.

Suddenly a loud, earthshaking boom of thunder erupted from the heavens and Kagome jumped with fright, grabbing onto his wrist and squeezing. He was surprised at how tight her grip was and even more surprised that he did not entirely mind it. Her warm hand felt strange, but also sort of nice upon his wet skin.

"And I really, _really_ hate thunder storms," she squeaked as another bone-jarring crash of thunder exploded above them. She had faced man-eating youkai, hordes of undead soldiers, and even Naraku himself, but she could not overcome her fear of thunderstorms for the life of her. It was just one of those irrational things, like being terrified of spiders. You knew they couldn't hurt you, yet you'd still scream whenever one shows up in your shower.

But at least Kagome had an excuse for her fear this time, because _this _thunderstorm was unlike anything she had ever seen. Even Sesshoumaru had to admit that the storm was getting to be increasingly violent: the winds were howling an eery call as rain whipped at his face, and the very air seemed to be charged, prickling at his skin. But it was only when he saw the first bolt of lighting strike the round only a few hundred yards away from them that he felt truly uneasy.

With that lightning strike came the corresponding thunder and Kagome whimpered and tightened her grip on his wrist. He wasn't even sure if she was aware that she was holding onto him, but no matter, it served his purposes. He lowered himself to the ground and then pulled her towards him, wrapping his arm around her shaking form as he settled her into his lap.

She was like a rag doll in his hold, fully surrendering her limp body into his embrace as he hunched over her, protecting her from the worst of the storm. She was so fragile and human, she would surely suffer some sort of ailment if exposed to the elements for too long.

Kagome instinctively latched onto his sopping pelt, fisting her tiny hands in its soggy fur. She buried her face against his chest and waited for it to stop. He was just so warm, and solid, and comforting. And when she listened to his heart she couldn't even really hear the thunder anymore.

Some part of her wondered how long this storm would last and if she would be disappointed or relieved if the answer was 'soon'.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was fighting an internal battle. One he had not fought in quite some time. She was just so warm, and small, and soft. And when he buried his face in her hair to keep the wind from lashing at his face, she smelled so good. The wet silk that she wore, so thin beneath his fingers, clung to her body, and had he been looking, it would have left _nothing _to the imagination. As it were he could feel her every curve pressed against him, and when she snuggled closer to his chest he nearly groaned.

It was then that Sesshoumaru realized that he may have a problem.

_I believe I have formed an...attachment to the miko, _he decided reluctantly. _This may prove to be rather difficult._

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_Awards are fun_

_They're really quite neat_

_Being nominated is nice_

_But winning would be sweet_


	22. Chapter 21

_Chapter 21_

Okay, so let me start with **"I am terribly sorry my good lords and ladies"**. Life has gotten in the way of my writing, seeing as I just recently started college and fanfiction quite literally dropped from my mind entirely. But I'm back, yay! A lot has happened since my last post: a few months have gone by, a few awards have been won, I probably ticked a few people off with my uncompleted story....yeah. LOTS.

So, here is chapter 21, hopefully there will be many more to come until this is finished. And thank you guys again for voting for my story, because (awhile ago) this fiction won best action/adventure here at the Dokuga awards. It was really awesome and just because I was busy doing my own things for awhile doesn't mean I'm not extremely grateful :-)

So thanks for being you (insert cheesy smile and thumbs up gesture).

* * *

_Just a few hours ago, _Kagome thought to herself in a hysterical sort of panic. _Just a few hours ago I woke up IN SESSHOUMARU'S ARMS. Well, arm...technically, but who cares! He was HOLDING me. It wasn't even raining anymore! Why was he still holding me? And why, why do I think I liked it? No, I most definitely didn't like it. It was horrible. Mortifying. Oh, who am I kidding? I thought I was dreaming I liked it so much!_

Kagome looked up from her hands and chanced a peak at the object of her current thoughts; he was still staring at her.

Just staring.

He had been staring at her ever since she woke up!

Kagome gave him a shaky smile and submerged her face in her hands once again. _I'm sick. I'm a sick, sick ticket, that's what I am! What is wrong with me? I shouldn't like sitting in his lap and just where the hell does he get off letting me sit there? Stupid jerk, I was all relaxed and comforted just because he saved me from getting rained to death. What a bastard! He should've just dumped me back onto the ground as soon as it was over, but noooooo, he just let me sleep. Holding me and staring at me with that stupid look on his impeccable face. _She ranted to herself. _He's still staring at me! Why won't he stop!_

Kagome peaked up from her hands once more.

"Miko, are you feeling better?" He asked monotonously.

Kagome squeaked and shook her head vigorously, once again taking refuge in her hands, obviously taking a liking to the ostrich mentality: if you can't see them, they can't see you. Yes, apparently she had been reduced to the basic instincts of an overgrown chicken, and in reality that's exactly what she was. A big, scaredy chicken too afraid of intimacy - no matter how unintentional it may have been - to face it. She had told him she didn't feel well, that her head hurt and that they should take a break for a little while.

In actuality, Kagome felt just fine, but the lie gave her much needed time to "flip a shit". Something she was currently doing spectacularly. She had woken up, all happy and oblivious, and then she opened her eyes to find herself quite intimately entwined in Sesshoumaru's lap. At first it was bliss, like some part of her brain decided that this was all very swell and that she should be enjoying this. And then she did the worst thing possible: she smiled at him. SHE ACTUALLY LOOKED UP AND SMILED!

It was then that she remembered this was Sesshoumaru, it was also when she screamed, toppled out of his lap, and decided to start hiding.

_"Head ache! I have a head ache!" _She had told him when he appeared to be mildly alarmed by her behavior. _"It'll go away, just give me a second."_

But all the seconds in the world could not undo what she had done, and what she had done was apparently developed some sort of sick, twisted crush on her true love's brother and fallen asleep in his lap like a lonely dog.

_I wish the lightning would come back and strike me down, _she decided. _Then I would be nothing more that a scorching pile of ashes. At least ashes can't be mortified, or horrified, or terrified...or something else ending in "fied"._

"I'm feeling...weird." Kagome finally managed to get out. She sighed and lifted her head from her hands for the last time and turned towards the stoic youkai lord.

"I do not believe I understand your ailment," Sesshoumaru said slowly, obviously trying not to sound unsympathetic, though, Kagome didn't know why.

_Why is he being nice? Shouldn't he be dismembering me for sleeping on him? Then again he didn't try and stop me...maybe he liked it too? No, that can't be it. _She argued with herself. _Wait, what if he knows I liked it? Oh no! That's probably it! He knows I've got a weird, creepy crush on him and now things are gonna be really awkward and oh no, oh no, oh no!_

Now, Sesshoumaru was not an unintelligent fellow - he knew a lie when he was given one, and the miko was not a spectacular liar to start with. Oh yes, he was aware that she did not have a 'headache', and he was also aware that she was hiding from him. What he did not know, was why he suddenly felt like hiding too.

When the priestess had awoke in his arms he did not know how she would react, really he hadn't given it much thought. It wasn't until she toppled out of his arms screaming and looking as though she had just seen Naraku himself, that he realized the enormity of the situation. He had been cradling her while she slept even though there was no longer a need to be continuing such an act. He hadn't meant to, but truth be told, it never occured to him that he should let her go. It felt so natural to have her in his arms.

But it was not natural. It was wrong, very wrong, and her reaction lead him to believe that she agreed.

"Miko, this afternoon was unexpectedly eventful," he said carefully. "I believe exhaustion is to be expected under such circumstances. Do you agree?"

Kagome nearly lost her jaw, it popped open so fast. He was actually giving her an out. He was telling her that he knew she was freaked out about sleeping in his lap and that he was just going to overlook it.

"U-uh, y-yeah," she stammered, grasping at her words like a lifeline. "I agree."

Sesshoumaru gave her one last calculating stare before nodding stiffly and standing. "Come, we must continue. If we do not encounter further delays we should reach our destination by sundown tomorrow."

The rest of the day passed by quickly, night fell within a few hours and Kagome's inability to traverse even flat, objectless surfaces in the dark made it impossible to travel any further. Besides, Kagome was exhausted and sleep was the perfect escape from not only her aching limbs, but her thoughts as well. She didn't even ask Sesshoumaru to put the healing salve on her back, she just passed out on the ground.

But this night, the demon lord would not be indulging in such activities. No, tonight, Sesshoumaru had some thinking to do.

Now, when Sesshoumaru had a problem he liked to deal with it with all due expediency - unlike a certain lightly snoring miko - and Sesshoumaru's problem on this night was by far one of the largest he had attempted to tackle in a very long while.

_What do I do about the miko? _He asked himself, the question echoing in his head as though he would never find a suitable answer. Some deep, primal part of him surged to the surface and produced a very...graphic image of what he would _like _to do to said miko, but it was quickly repressed. It was simply unthinkable...wasn't it?

Sesshoumaru growled at his back tracking thoughts - of course it was unthinkable. She was a ningen, and even worse, she was his _brother's _ningen. She was weak and vile and so very many things he detested.

_But, she isn't so weak, _he reminded himself, his eyes drifting to her sleeping form to the very spot he knew her scars lay. No, she wasn't weak. She was not vile either. In fact, she was probably the only creature on the entire planet whom he could tolerate. Even Rin wore on his nerves after a few days to the point where he needed a reprieve, yet the miko always kept him coming back for more. Yes, Kagome was probably the only creature he would ever choose as company, and he hated company...except for hers.

It was all so frustrating, he decided. Kagome was so very many things that he had never known anyone - let alone a human - could be. And today something had happened, something had clicked inside him as he held her in his embrace, something that felt like it had been building for quite sometime. Now it was here, and gods he just wanted it to go away, to unclick whatever had fallen into place because this was all so very confusing.

The proud, wise taiyoukai had never been so completely shaken. Thoughts ran through his mind at incomprehensible speeds, none of them seeming to make any sense. Images of Kagome falling in battle, of him trying to save her but being too late. They made him furious and stabbed him from the inside out. And then there were other images, images of Kagome against him, beneath him. They made him angry and they made him want and they made him weak.

He hated it. He hated himself. He hated her...at least he wished he did. Hatred was so much easier than whatever it was that he felt for her now.

How could she have disturbed him so? She had never been extraordinary in the time he knew her before this quest had begun, she had never left more than a fleeting impression in his once stable life. He barely bothered to remember her name before this, and now he knew that for as long as he lived, he would never forget it. He would never _want_ to forget it.

She was a simple human, albeit a human with an unusual ability to traverse time, but a miniscule onna nonetheless. When he had first met her she had picked up a bow, fired a badly aimed arrow, and called herself an archer. She was completely insignificant; he could have eviscerated her without a second thought should he have tried. Even when he _did _try to kill her, it was not her own power that saved her, simply the sword she happened to be holding.

Luck, it was all luck. She was a lucky girl, but by no means was she gifted in anything other than brash stupidity. In fact, had this quest not brought them together, he doubted she would have ever captured his attention. He would never have noticed her, she would have never taken such a firm stance in his life.

She was not extraordinarily powerful, she was not extraordinarily beautiful, and even though she did seem to have a somewhat rare personality, kindness was not an unheard of trait to hold.

So what was it? What about her held his attention in such a way that no other had managed? She may be good hearted enough to overlook social or racial biases, but he wasn't. She was nothing more than a human commoner - how had she so drastically disrupted his world?

Perhaps it was the fact that she wasn't extraordinarily powerful or strong, but that she tried to be anyway: she gave everything she had even when she knew it would never be enough. Or that she was imperfect and rash and determined to help no matter the cost, because she _was_ uncommonly kind. Maybe it was because she never labeled anyone, she never saw him as _Lord _Sesshoumaru, she treated him as her equal when they were so obviously mismatched on every level.

And perhaps, this was a question he may never be able to answer.

No matter the cause, Sesshoumaru knew that his feelings for the miko - whatever they were - could not be reversed. They had been intertwined, now all that was left to find out was how they would continue to grow. Where would their strange relationship lead, and more importantly, what would it lead to? Sesshoumaru's claws cut into his skin as he thought, his face remaining as blank as ever as he fought a war within himself.

_This is something I do not know, _he sighed, unclenching his fists to look at the sleeping girl once again. _Perhaps...perhaps that is something only she can decide._

And so, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West, sat back and waited for a simple, human girl to lead him.

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_I am a horrid author_

_For making you wait so long_

_I would understand if you were furious_

_And ate me like King Kong_


	23. Chapter 22

_Chapter 22_

**Author Note:**

Whoa, another post so soon? I am so generous haha. Actually I just feel like an arse for making you wait so long for an update before....arse is a word right? British people use it? Yeah, I think so. They also call parking lots "car parks", which I find incredibly amusing for some reason.

And as long as we're indulging in random facts: did you know that all the swans in England are property of the queen? Also Socrates was a really big arse apparently. Anyway, read on :)

* * *

"Miko, may I ask you a question?"

"Huh?" Kagome jumped - she had been very busy worrying the ends of her kimono and enjoying the peace and quiet of this lovely day...this lovely day that could be her last. She was desperately trying to forget about that though, that tomorrow she might be taking the first step towards becoming organic fertilizer. She chose to refer to her possible death as "becoming organic fertilizer" rather than "being eviscerated in a bloody, horrific mess" because it made her feel better. It also made her feel less like throwing up.

"What offense has that kimono dealt you?" Sesshoumaru asked lightly, indicating the wrinkled mess you had reduced her hem to.

Looking down, Kagome noticed the mess she had made of the magically reinforced yukata gifted to her by a god. She almost felt accomplished at managing to ruin such an impervious garment, but mostly she was just annoyed that Sesshoumaru was calling her out on her rapidly increasing anxiety.

She scowled. "Oh, shut it you! I'm nervous, okay? Are you happy now?"

He lifted a brow. "Nerves will not aid you in battle, miko, I suggest you discard them."

"Yeah, well...that's easier said than done," she muttered, wondering if anything EVER phased him. Not even the possibility of death seemed to have any affect on him, so what did? Though, now that she thought about it, perhaps his unwavering indifference made sense. Everyone always asked the rhetorical question "who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?", yet no one ever asked the wolf whom he feared for there was no one bigger or badder than the wolf.

And Sesshoumaru was definitely the big, bad wolf of the demon world...even if technically he was a dog. Whatever, the point was that maybe the reason Sesshoumaru was never afraid or even nervous was because he truly had no one to fear. Though, Kagome found such fearlessness incomprehensible: in her experience everyone was afraid of _something_ even if they tried not to show it. Maybe death just wasn't one of Sesshoumaru's fears...maybe it was cats?

An image of a fully transformed Sesshoumaru, in all of his youkai glory, whimpering with his tail between his legs as her cat Buyo licked himself came to mind and nearly had her snorting with laughter. She snickered under her breath, but was quickly silenced with an icy glare was quickly leveled in her direction.

_I swear he can read minds sometimes, _she thought with a shiver. It was terribly disconcerting to think that he could peruse her thoughts, especially when lately a great deal of them involved Sesshoumaru himself in a none too g-rated manner. She blushed as a few of her more...detailed fantasies came to mind.

Clearing her throat, Kagome turned her quickly reddening face away and started fiddling with her sleeves again.

Misinterpreting her distracted behavior as further signs of distress, Sesshoumaru sighed and stopped in his tracks. Kagome, who was far too concerned with getting her complexion under control to notice anything less than a category 5 hurricane, suddenly found herself being taken by the shoulders and turned to face the very object of her fantasies she was trying so hard to forget.

"Eeep!" Kagome squeaked in surprise, her deep, brown eyes going wide and searching frantically until they found his.

"Miko, I have never known you to shy from a fight, no matter the adversary," he said, returning her gaze with an added intensity. "Why now do you shake with fear?"

"Wh-what?" Kagome stuttered, trying to remember what he was talking about. _Oh yeah, the whole "I might die tomorrow" thing._

"Miko, what worries you?" He reiterated, his concern evident only in his golden eyes.

Kagome shrugged defeatedly, looking so pathetic it almost sickened him. "I don't know, it's just...I'm scarred, I think - what if I die?"

"You have never shown much concern for your own life in the past, miko," he said, confused. "One of your greatest faults is that you rarely value your own safety and I do not believe you have seen the error of your ways. So what, miko, are you truly afraid of?"

Using all of her self control to not chew him out for basically saying she was stupidly reckless, Kagome shook her head in frustration. "No, you misunderstood me, I'm not really worried about me dying, more like what will happen if I do," she said slowly as if unsure that her words truly made sense in that order. "I mean, if I'm dead, who will stop Naraku? Who will put the jewel back together?"

_Ah, she is concerned about her responsibilities, _Sesshoumaru concluded in his head. "There is no need to concern yourself with such trivial matters, miko. The only creature that will lose his life is the southern lord."

Confident that his reassurances had been enough to put any of her remaining concerns at ease, Sesshoumaru released her and began to walk away.

"I mean, I guess someone else could take care of those things. Kikyo maybe, or another priestess, but what about everything else?" Kagome continued, ignoring Sesshoumaru's words as if he had been as silent as a rock. "Will my family even know if I'm dead, or will they just keep waiting for me to come back through that well until the day they die? Who will take care of Shippo, and who will keep Inuyasha from being fatally stupid? Who will keep him from turning into a full demon if something goes wrong? Who will help him realize that he shouldn't become a full demon when the jewel is complete? If I'm gone, who will love him?"

Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks as he felt something in his chest lurch. He knew the feelings she held for his brother - they were so brutally obvious - so why did hearing them confirmed make him feel as though he could no longer breathe?

"And what will you do?" She asked, sighing and walking to stand by his side. "Will you miss me?"

The image of Kagome's lifeless body flashed in his mind and nearly made him shake with an intense feeling of anger and loss. He remained starring ahead, still as an ivory statue for a full minute before the slow blink of his golden eyes marked the return of his composure. When Sesshoumaru spoke his voice was devoid of emotion, it was not even indifferent, it was just dead. "You will not die, Kagome. I will not allow it. Do not fret over that which cannot occur."

Kagome frowned. Sesshoumaru's stony glare gave the impression that he wasn't really there with her, that he was somewhere far away. And indeed he was far away, deep within his thoughts and emotions, trying desperately to decipher whatever it was that had suddenly made him feel as though he would never feel again. Like he was so light he could float above his very body. Like his chest was empty.

Kagome was freaked out. _Okay...what's gotten into him?_

Deciding to act like nothing was out of the ordinary in hopes that it would return everything to normal, she sighed. "Sesshoumaru, I just don't know how you do it. How can you be so calm and collected all of the time? I mean, you're the lord of the West! You have thousands of people relying on you, you have a legacy to uphold, not to mention a little orphan girl who would be lost without you. So how do you do it? How do you handle it all without going crazy? It's kind of amazing."

Slowly his eyes shifted to give her a sidelong stare, his painfully stiff posture relaxing slightly as he took in the snaky smile she threw him.

Kagome shook her head, her smile broadening. She noticed with relief that he seemed to be regaining his awareness of the world around him, "not that I should expect any different really: you're always amazing."

Sesshoumaru took a few moments to process what she had said to him. He didn't quite know why, but her praise seemed to fill him with warmth. His chest no longer felt so empty.

"Miko, do not think that these responsibilities do not always linger in my mind," he said in his usual calm manner. "But to worry is comparable to watering a plant that has long since died: it occupies your time, but it will accomplish nothing. It is pointless and I am not in the habit of wasting my time"

_He's back to normal, thank the gods! _She mentally cheered.

"I know," she laughed, regaining some of her usual spark. "Maybe I'm just so worried because you seem so calm about it. Like I have to worry for both of us or something."

Thinking that he had never heard anything so nonsensical in his life, Sesshoumaru simply scoffed and flicked his long, silvery hair over his shoulder as if dismissing her and her ridiculous reasonings."

The miko smiled, "well, I'm going to worry about you so get used to it. I would miss you if you were gone, Sesshoumaru. I mean, who would carry my back pack?"

The taiyoukai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "We shall get you a horse," he replied.

Her laughter rang like chimes on the wind as she grabbed his hand and pulled him onward towards their journey's end.

***

"So, we're really almost there?" Kagome asked for the twentieth...no thirtieth time? Sesshoumaru had lost track after the first hour.

"Tomorrow our quest will reach it's end," he confirmed.

_Tomorrow...tomorrow could be the last tomorrow I ever see, _the miko realized. It was a real kill joy, Kagome decided, to know what your possible expiration date might be. She imagined waking up tomorrow and finding a date stamped on her forehead like you would find on a container of perishable food.

Deciding to give up on her fanatically morbid thoughts, Kagome rolled onto her side and propped herself up with her arm to look at her companion. He was actually sitting beside her, silently star gazing with her, which surprised her. He usually just stood with his back to her, standing guard until she fell asleep, but tonight - for some reason - he had seen fit to join her. Since she couldn't fall asleep anyway, she welcomed his company...no matter how unsociable it may be.

Her back was mostly healed by now, which meant she no longer needed help applying the healing salve, and not having to concentrate on pain or embarrassment left ones' mind free to wander. And like Kagome herself, when her mind wandered, it traveled to the strangest of places.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru?" She asked, the melancholy edge to her usually cheerful voice rousing his curiosity.

She saw his eyes flick to hers and knew that was as much acknowledgement as she was going to get. She had come to find that he was even less sociable in the evenings. "Do you ever think that...that maybe we've missed out on something?" She asked him.

He racked his brain for any clue as to what she could possibly be talking about, but once again he had no idea. He should probably just stop trying to figure out the miko already, he didn't seem to be very efficient at it, and he loathed failure. Perhaps if he merely remained quiet she would explain herself and he wouldn't have to speculate.

Kagome fumbled with her thoughts for a few more seconds before the silence became too much. "I mean, you're a lord and I'm a reincarnation of a famous miko," she said, worrying her lower lip, "we've had so many things that we've had to do that others would ever even have to think about...don't you ever feel like you've just skipped over parts of your life that you weren't meant to skip?"

_Ah, so that was what she meant. _Sesshoumaru thought for a moment, remembering a time when he was but a pup and had to attend diplomacy and war strategy lessons instead of running in the fields like the other demon children. At the time he had not minded, he would've rather been learning something important than playing frivolous games anyway. But now, he realized, he would never be able to reclaim those years. His childhood was gone, and it had not been much of a childhood at all.

"Perhaps," he conceded, "but what is in the past is in the past, there is no reason to dwell on that which we cannot change."

She gave him a calculating look and sighed a defeated sound that made him shift uncomfortably.

Kagome wasn't sure what she expected his answer to be, but she was vaguely disappointed that it had been so...mature. He was _always _so mature, always had the logical answer to everything. Sometimes she really appreciated this quality about him, but sometimes she loathed it. Why couldn't he just sit back and pout with her for a few minutes! The nerve, not feeling miserable about his life like she was at the moment. Would it kill him to whine a little bit?

_Probably, _she decided. _The indignity of whining would probably cause him to self destruct or haven an internal hardware malfunction._

Kagome sighed and sat up. "I know, I guess I'm just a little bitter. At least you _knew _what to expect, all the things you would never get to do. You _knew_ you weren't going to be normal," she said, ignoring his raised brow at her unintended insult.

"But I _was _normal, just your average teenage girl, and then I got sucked down a magical well and ended up here. Now I fight demons, and save villages, and get kidnapped by gods, and travel with youkai lords to find legendary spears," she ticked off on her fingers in rapid succession until she was forced to take a breath and calm herself. "And tomorrow it all might end and I'll never have had the chance to do any of the things I should have done."

"We have discussed this, miko," he snapped impatiently, "you will not die."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "you don't know that for sure."

"I know that you are being ridiculous."

She scowled and her tired eyes dropped to the ground. "Well, that may be true, but there's a reason I'm so stressed about this. I mean everyone expects me to be this extraordinary priestess when all I really am is an average school girl with a nasty habit of getting mixed up in things she has no business getting mixed up in. But I have to be a priestess, I have to fulfill this duty. I don't have to be a school girl, even though it's what I should be doing. It's what I _would_ be doing if I _was _average."

The inuyoukai watched as his hand inched towards her. He watched as he placed a deadly, clawed finger under chin with a carefulness he had not known he had possessed, and lifted it, forcing her to look at him. He watched as her sad, teary eyes flickered to his with confusion and fear and hope swirling in their midst. And he listened as he spoke words of comfort to the miko with such sincerity he barely could believe it was his own voice.

"You are not average, Kagome," he said with such conviction that she couldn't help but believe him. "And I do not believe you ever were."

"But sometimes I just _want _to be average, Sesshoumaru," she whispered as though telling him a dirty secret meant for his ears alone, "sometimes I just wish I had a normal life like all the other girls my age."

Of all the ridiculous things he had ever heard her say, this was by far the most absurd.

"You could not bare such a mundane existence," he told her.

She looked up at him then, her eyes capturing his in an unbreakable hold and they were so sad and full of burdens unshared, and tears uncried that he wanted to pull her to him and take her away from everything that had haunted her so.

"What I can't bare is _this,_" she disagreed. "I'm almost seventeen and I've never driven a car, never gotten a job, never done something adolescent and stupid...I've never even been kissed," she admitted sheepishly and finally looked away from him, a blush rising on her cheeks.

"And after tomorrow it won't matter if my existence is 'mundane' because I might not exist at all," she murmured.

Well, she had kissed Inuyasha that one time, when he had been threatening to turn into a full demon, but he hadn't even been in his right mind. She had been too terrified to truly even register it as a kiss anyway. No, she had never had a real kiss, a kiss where one person's lips took another's and danced with them in a passionate fury.

She wondered if it was as amazing as she always imagined it to be, or if it was simply just wet and disappointing.

But she didn't know, did she? And by gods did she want to know! Even disappointment would be better than this ignorance. And now, in this moment, as she admitted her shortcomings to the last creature on earth she would have ever thought would listen, she wished more than ever that she had just plucked up the nerve and done it. She wished that for once in her life she wasn't the scared, innocent girl that blushed at anything remotely intimate and swooned over heroics.

She wished she wasn't such a coward. She faced demons and danger and death on a daily basis, but when it came to her heart, there was a fifty foot wall around it and she refused to open the gates. She hid inside her insecurities, safe from the wounds rejection could inflict, safe from the scars that an unrequited love would leave. But as much as she was safe, she was also trapped. And until now she had been happy to be a prisoner to her own cowardice, happy to be blissfully ignorant, but she could not hide forever.

And _he_ didn't think she was cowardly. _He_ wasn't afraid to look her in the eyes and tell her exactly what was on his mind even if she didn't want to hear it. The idea of _him _had been banging on the gates to her heart, refusing to be denied. And here _he _was, perfect and untouchable to anyone but her, and _she _wasn't afraid anymore.

Very slowly Sesshoumaru realized what Kagome was about to do. She had looked up at him with that determined look he had come to both admire and loath, and then she was leaning towards him, her eyes never once leaving his. There was a fire in them that told a tale of heartache and loneliness and of longing and resolve and of need and want.

And even though he knew what she was going to do, he could not bring himself to believe it. Or perhaps he didn't _want_ to admit he knew what she was about to do, for if he did, he would have to stop her.

_What is she doing..._

She was getting closer, her scent washing against him like the tides against the shore. He could hear her breathing, hear her heart beat, hear the blood pulsing through her fragile, human veins.

_No, I should pull away, she is much too close._

And she was. She was right in front of him, her nose almost touching his, her small, soft hand coming up to cradle his cheek. It felt like silk, or like water flowing against him, though he remained dry.

_She is a human! A Miko! My brother's wench! She is Kagome! _

Yes, she was Kagome. A human. A priestess. An enemy and an ally. And somehow she was the only creature in this world he found himself unable to refuse - even this.

_If she leads me down this path, will I be able to turn back? Will I want to?_

And then she kissed him. Not a deep, passionate kiss, just a quick meeting of lips. A soft pressure against his mouth as she leaned into him and he couldn't stop himself from leaning too. It was innocent and yet intimate - just like her.

He felt warm.

Her lips moved against his like a feather on the wind, so light and free and unsure. And he moved with her, letting her guide them both, fighting the urge to pull her to him and crush his mouth to hers. But before the impulse became too strong to ignore, she pulled away.

He felt cold.

Kagome hovered in front of Sesshoumaru for just a second longer, her light breath brushing his cheek as she leaned away. She sat there for a moment, wrinkling her forehead as if in concentration before lightly smirking as though she had just confirmed some long pondered suspicion.

She started to pull away, but paused. "I would say I'm sorry...but I don't think I am," she said as though confused by her own words.

He watched her as she smiled to herself and then lay back on the ground to watch the stars.

Funny, but he wasn't sorry either.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_Kagome got some action_

_Don't you think it's about damn time?_

_I think Sesshoumaru enjoyed it._

_Almost as much as this rhyme._


	24. Chapter 23

_Chapter 23_

**Author Note:**

Happy Valentine's day everybody!!! I thought I would get this out this morning, seeing as I'm going to dinner later tonight. Plus I actually have to shower and shave my legs and all those other things that I like to not do. As far as I'm concerned winter is just an excuse not to shave, I mean you're wearing pants all the time anyway, am I right? Which makes me wonder...Kagome and shaving? I mean, when does she find the time? And she's wearing that bitty skirt so she must be sportin' some hairy man legs all over Japan. Scarin' children and all...

But anyway, happy lurv day, hope you lurv this chapter. Har har har.

* * *

Sesshoumaru would not pretend to know what had happened last night, because on all acounts it made no sense whatsoever. He loathed nonsensical things because they could not be made sense of by their very definition and that really ticked him off. It also really ticked him off that his thoughts had apparently ceased to make sense as well.

_I have always considered the miko to be slightly insane, perhaps it is contagious. _He thought tiredly.

If insanity was the only effect his exposure to Kagome had produced, he would consider himself lucky, but either irritatingly, or thankfully - he couldn't decide which - that was not the case. She had left her mark on him and in the most confusing of ways. The miko had only yesterday confessed her love for his brother to his very face, and mere hours later she had kissed him with such intent that it was if it were the most important task she had ever undertook.

Sesshoumaru felt warm at the very memory, a feeling so complete and blissful that it made him want to stay just exactly where he was for the rest or eternity and relive it until the very world ended.

But what did the kiss that filled his chest so full it made him wonder how he would ever move again, mean? Was the kiss simply an experience Kagome did not want to miss should she die, or was it something more? Did she want to kiss, or did she want to kiss_him. _

He did not know, which was particularly disturbing - he had never come upon this problem before. Up until now any woman he had ever desired had been his without question, but usually his desires were not so complicated as he found them to be of late. Usually he would make the acquaintance of a beautiful demoness, he would express his desire to bed her, he _would _bed her, then he would dispose of her.

Yet his desire for Kagome was not simply of the carnal nature. Before he had even found the idea of the miko in his bed a pleasurable one, he had simply desired her company - an unheard of desire for him to hold. He desired her company, he desired her trust, he desired her safety, and only after these desires had been addressed did he desire her body. The only question left unanswered was if Kagome desire him as he had so obviously come to desire her.

He gazed over at the slumbering miko with a tenderness in his eyes that would have shocked anyone who knew him, and that he himself was unaware of. _Does she desire me? _Uncertainty was all he could muster.

Something shocked him from his internal reverie and in his head Sesshoumaru groaned.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" A booming voice broke the silence of the once peaceful morning. Sesshoumaru's expression hardened as his gaze shifted to the intruder.

"Lord Ryuugi," Sesshoumaru acknowledged with a slight nod of his head. "I see your scouts were faster than I anticipated."

"Fastest in the whole of Japan!" He chuckled mirthlessly. "I have to say I was surprised when I heard who exactly it was trespassing on my lands. I have not seen a dog so far south since your father sought to conquer these lands! I hope you do not share the same intention, for I believe you come horribly ill prepared." The demon looked pointedly at the lightly snoring miko.

"It is not your land I am after, but your spear," the taiyoukai said imperiously, ignoring Ryuugi's obvious jab at his traveling partner. He heard the miko stirring at his side and her small gasp as she realized what was going on.

"This had better be a dream!" Kagome mumbled in a frantic, high pitched voice as she tripped over her own feet in a hasty attempt to stand up. The two males spared her a sigh before returning their attentions to each other.

The dragon shook his head tiredly for only a moment before a sinister, toothy smile erupted across his deceivingly handsome face. "Ah, so someone has finally come for it? If I had expected anyone to realize this was no ordinary weapon it would have been you, Lord Sesshoumaru. After all, dogs have a nasty habit of sticking they're noses where they don't belong."

"Where are my arrows? My arrows!"

"Do not make the mistake that I wish to waste time mixing words with you, Ryuugi," Sesshoumaru snarled, drawing his sword and stepping in front of Kagome as she scrambled for her weapons. "Now you shall give me the spear, or I shall take it."

"Wait, wait! Can't we just slow this down a second?" Kagome squealed to herself as she nearly fell on her face while trying to shove her shoes on her sock-less feet.

"Very well," Ryuugi hissed, ignoring the panicking miko. "You shall rue the day you stepped foot on this land, my friend. For by the end of it, you shall never be able to leave."

***

"Okay, I'm seriously starting to doubt that this is a dream," Kagome whined as she was forced for the hundredth time that morning to dive out of the way of a rather large fireball. Diving may look dramatic and effortless in movies, but in reality it was tiring and terrifying. Not to mention the landings had left her with several cuts and bruises...and possibly a limp.

Scrambling to her feet as fast as she could - all grace aside - Kagome found herself just barely flinging her tired body to the side in time to avoid another ball of fire.

"Since when do spears shoot fire balls the size of Clydesdales!" Kagome screamed until her throat was hoarse. Hissy fit over, she managed to pathetically crawl behind a rather large rock. Slumping against the cold granite behind her, Kagome sighed so loud she was pretty sure she might have broken a rib...or it might have already been broken.

Whatever.

"What am I doing?" She asked herself. "I can't do this, what made me think I could do this?"

Peeking from behind her hiding place it wasn't hard to spot the battle being waged...the battle she wasn't apart of. She could barely see Sesshoumaru behind the torrent of fire erupting from the Southern Lord's spear as he wielded it as easily as though it were a stick, yet as menacingly as if it were death's scythe itself.

As far as she could figure she assumed that the spear acted as an extension of it's owner's power. Spears obviously couldn't produce fire by themselves, but dragons most certainly could. Ryuugi was simply using the godly weapon to channel, and probably enhance, his own power. Focusing her attention back to Sesshoumaru she made the horrible realization that he wasn't faring as well as could be hoped.

He wasn't doing badly per say, but he wasn't managing to do anything other than defend himself.

_He can't win by himself, _she thought. _I need to help, he called me his ally, but all I've been doing is running around like a bug trying to avoid being squished...not that I want to be squished, but I need to do something._

Decision made, Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver and armed her bow. Inching towards the very edge of the rock she hid behind, she watched and waited to make her move. She observed the battle before her, scrutinizing every move Sesshoumaru and Ryuugi made. They moved like dancers with deadly agendas; one would advance, the other would retreat, one would attack, the other would defend. It was a rhythmic process, repeating over and over in a never ending waltz.

Kagome was about to interrupt it.

She waited until it was Ryuugi's turn to attack, his fiery assault obscuring the battle field as Sesshoumaru gracefully jumped out of the way, and then...she charged. Running as fast as her feet could carry her she sprinted towards the inferno. By the time Sesshoumaru had realized what she was doing it was too late to stop her; she had already disappeared into the flames.

Ignoring the intense heat around her, Kagome continued on, the flames were receding - as she knew they would. The southern lord could only sustain his attack for so long, and even as Kagome ran, the flames were always just a few steps ahead of her. Sensing that she was close to the enemy lord, she fired her arrow. She watched with determined eyes as it's intense spiritual power dousing what was left of Ryuugi's fire, the shining pink energy cutting a hole right through his shoulder.

Howling in surprise, anger, and pain the Southern Lord watched with reddening eyes as his arm disintegrated and fell to the ground, the spear he had been holding dropped by his feet. He made no move to pick it back up, his anger had clouded his mind.

"Shit," Kagome swore, her eyes going wide.

The ground began to shake and the wind began to blow at an unnatural speed as it rushed to engulf the enraged Lord.

"Kagome!" An urgent yell sounded from the distance before her waist she was encircled by a firm arm. Before she could register what was happening she was jerked from the ground and being lifted into the sky.

"Sesshoumaru, the spear!" She urged, pointing towards the ground as she futilely tried to pry herself loose from his iron-like grip.

"Miko, you will let me handle this!" He growled. "You have done your part, but in the process have also managed to invoke a dragon!"

"Well, you weren't making much progress, I thought I should step in," she grumbled.

"Yes, thank you," he replied sarcastically.

Kagome was jerked again as Sesshoumaru hastily touched down. His arm lingered around her for only a moment before he let her free and took a step back.

"I will deal with the dragon, your assistance will not be required," he said harshly and launched himself back to the fight.

"JERK!" Kagome shouted after him; half indignant, half amused. She knew that he was just worried that she might become dragon food if she stuck around, but she couldn't stay away from the fight - the spear was just laying on the ground!

Tightening her grip on her bow, Kagome ran to enter the fray once more.

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_February the fourteenth_

_A day of love and goo_

_SInce you don't know where I live to send flowers_

_I hope you review_

I'm actually just assuming you don't know where I live, seeing as that would be incredibly creepy.


	25. Chapter 24

_Chapter 24_

**Author Note:**

Yup, another relapse. I just can't help posting chapters obnoxiously late. I should probably go to rehab.

_**THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR REVISIONS TO THE BEGINNING CHAPTERS OF THIS STORY. AND BY BEGINNING, I MEAN LIKE 1-20. I WOULD SUGGEST RE-READING THEM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME.**_

* * *

There was an old - perhaps overused - proverb that Kagome had often adopted as her personal mantra: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. It seemed fitting seeing as her life had thrown plenty of lemons her way, but she had always tried to make the best of any situation despite how...sour the outlook may be.

But what about when life gave you dragons?

"Stupid proverbs!" Kagome cursed as she ran, panting like an old man on his last breath, towards a fight she should probably stay out of. "Why can't they be more specific and less...metaphorical?"

She was just a silly school girl who occasionally traversed time and fought demons, how was she supposed to handle this? She had no idea how to face a dragon, let alone make lemonade out of it...wait, that didn't sound right, did it? Whatever, the point was that this situation was bad, very bad, and even Kagome was having trouble seeing how they could win without receiving grievous injuries. Multiple grievous injuries. Perhaps even fatal ones.

Awesome.

Stopping a few hundred yards from the battle between enraged, one-armed dragon and frustrated, one-armed dog, Kagome took the chance to catch her breath. Ryuugi had been out of control, crazed by his anger, and Sesshoumaru had transformed in an effort to prevent him from flying off and rampaging a village. Or something.

Kagome wasn't really sure why he transformed, actually, but whatever. They were both giant scary monsters whose footsteps rattled the ground and would have terrified her if Sesshoumaru hadn't been so beautiful. It had been amazing to watch as his demonic fire engulfed the taiyoukai, caressing his body as he erupted into his true form. The beautiful ebony dog was so foreign and yet familiar to her. It was like she was looking at Sesshoumaru's true power, unrestricted and uninhibited - it awed her and made her shake with fear at the same time.

But now was not the time to become distracted by giant puppy dogs - she had a job to do.

_Just get the spear, I don't know what I'll do once I have it, but I'll figure that out later, _she thought, nodding her head as though confirming the fake conversation she had just enjoyed with herself._Come on! We've traveled so far and I can see it! I just need to go get it!_

Even from this distance she could see the spear glinting in the sunlight as it lay abandoned on the ground. Too bad that every ten seconds or so it would nearly be trampled by the less than graceful dragon as Ryuugi tried to repeatedly devour Sesshoumaru. Theoretically she could try to lead the dragon away from the spear and hope that Sesshoumaru would finally come to his senses and grab it, but he would probably just do something stupid: like go rescue her before she was eaten.

Why were dogs so stupid?

"Well, looks like I'm going to have to just get it myself," she sighed, resigning herself to this rather overly ambitious plan with a grimace. Looking over at the fight once more she only confirmed the probability that she would most likely sustain horrific injuries while attempting this mission.

_I'm about to do something so stupid it's Inuyasha worthy, _she thought exasperatedly. _Too bad I can't survive having all of my bones crushed into a fine white powder like he can._

"Alright, Izanagi," She sighed in an annoyed, motherly tone and pointed at the sky menacingly. "I'm in this mess 'cause of you, so you better not let me get squished, you hear me?"

A horrible roar sounded in the distance as flames erupted from Ryuugi's gaping maw. There was a yelp and then a thundering growl. Kagome smelled burnt hair.

"Or burned," she added exasperatedly, her pointed finger falling pathetically to her side.

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, she could see that without his godly weapon, Ryuugi wasn't faring nearly as well as he had been against Sesshoumaru. He wasn't losing, but his attacks were no longer confidant and organized, they were frenzied and desperate: like that of an animal backed into a corner. Sesshoumaru would dance graceful circles around the dragon, looking for an opening to dart in and attack, before quickly jumping back as Ryuugi snapped and clawed at him wildly.

Both were obviously formidable opponents, each inflicting damage upon the other. Sesshoumaru had multiple singe marks and the dragon's thick, scaled hide was riddled with acidic burns from the taiyoukai's bites. Yet the dog seemed to gaining the upper hand - he was quicker and more collected. He would win, Kagome was sure.

_Maybe I won't need to help after all_, she dared to hope.

That is until she was harshly awoken from her internal musings by a loud, ear-splitting, heart-piercing yelp. She had been distracted for only a second and that was all it took for Ryuugi's horned tail to collide with Sesshoumaru before he was able to jump away. She watched in horror as he was thrown to the ground with the force of the impact, the dragon's spikes wrenching out of his side and being replaced with a torrent of blood.

The dragon pulled away from the injured lord with a deafening roar of pain, it's tail sizzling as Sesshoumaru's acid ate away at Ryuugi's skin.

"No!" Kagome shouted, as Sesshoumaru stumbled to his feet, his growls shaking the very earth. His red eyes focusing with deadly intent on the now even angrier dragon. He swaggered where he stood as the two giants squared off against each other once again.

_The baka! He's going to get himself killed! _She thought wildly. Kagome did not remember making the conscious decision to start running towards Sesshoumaru, but suddenly she realized that she was sprinting as fast as she could to his side.

Her heart hammered in her chest with each step she took, her heart ached just a little more with each hit Sesshoumaru received. Ryuugi was tearing into the weakened taiyoukai, taking advantage of his injury, and it was all that he could do to defend himself.

He was taking a beating, Kagome realized, it was the first time she had truly seen him lose his composure in battle and it frightened her. Even when he had faced Inuyasha he was always poised and practiced until Inuyasha's attack would overwhelm him, or he would leave of his own volition.

But now...now he was struggling, and struggling was something Sesshoumaru did not do. She needed to get to him, needed to help him, or the life that might end on this day could be his. She didn't know what she was going to do, but it didn't matter - he needed her at his side and so that's where she would go.

_Oh kami, no! I'll do anything, just no, no no! _She thought wildly, her chest heaving and her mind racing with emotions she could not place.

With one final burst of speed, Kagome took her stance in front of the faltering dog as Ryuugi readied his tail for another attack. Sesshoumaru growled a warning behind her, but was too weak too stop her from protecting him.

"You better back up!" Kagome screamed commandingly, gripping her bow and arrow firmly. Her arrow glowed pink and her bowstring was pulled taught. "Back up, or I'll shoot!"

The dragon paused, forgetting about Sesshoumaru as it's attention was drawn to the miko in front of him. It snorted smoke from it's nostrils before bringing it's tail crashing down on top of her. The miko managed to jump out of the way just in time, her bow and arrow flying out of her hands in an attempt to catch her fall.

The earth shook as Ryuugi's tail collided with the ground, sending a spray of soil and grass in all directions. Kagome had just managed to wipe the filth from her eyes when she saw the harsh glint of pointy teeth rapidly approaching her.

He was going to eat her!

Scrambling in a panic, the miko managed to get to her feet and dive out of the way of the dragon's deadly bite. His teeth enclosing around nothing more than dirt, Ryuugi shook his head to rid his mouth of debris, and lunged again.

Kagome pushed herself to her feet once again, she tried to run to safety, but the first step she took had her falling to the ground as her foot caught on something hard. Catching a glimpse of gold, she instinctively reached down to grab it. Her fingers enclosed around something hard and cold and she thrust it out in front of her, hoping with all her might that somehow it would spare her life.

Ryuugi smirked to himself as his jaws enclosed over the priestess - he had finally punished the miko for taking his arm by taking her life. Once he destroyed that dog, his retribution would be complete.

Tales would be told far and wide of the great and terrible dragon who slew the mighty dog of the West. Sesshoumaru's lands would fall to ruin and he, being the kind leader he was, would become their new emperor. Every dragon would have his own dog! His own servant! And the mutts would curse Sesshoumaru for letting such misfortune befall them! Ryuugi would be ruler of all!

But fortunately for Sesshoumaru, it would seem that Ryuugi would never get the chance.

From within his mouth a great, pink, burning light erupted. It burned him, embraced him, consumed him until he was no more. In a blinding flash of light Lord Ryuugi of the South turned completely to ash. It was over so fast that he didn't even have the chance to roar his final dismay to the world. Silence was all that followed the light.

That is until his ashes collided with the earth, sounding like a torrent of rain as Kagome was buried beneath them. Fighting her way out of the piles of smoldering ash, there was only one thought on her mind.

_Sesshoumaru..._

***

It had been like walking in a fog for an eternity. There was no beginning and no end, no sight, no smell, just an all consuming haze that could not be escaped. At first he had thought that he was in hell, or perhaps that he had not been taken there yet, that he had been forgotten.

In life he had held sway over death, he called the creatures of the underworld to do his bidding as he saw fit. Perhaps that power came at a price, perhaps they would not come when he called this one last time. This was his penance. The pall-bearers of death would not come to take him to the afterlife. He would remain in this horrid world between worlds for all eternity: neither alive nor dead.

But then, one day, or year, or millennia, he heard a voice - he heard _her _voice - and he knew that he could not be dead. He had done far too many horrid deeds to be sent to heaven, and any place that would allow him to hear her beautiful tone could not be hell. He was sleeping, he had decided, and all he had to do was wake up...

Kagome bustled about the room in a fluster of silk and ribbons, wiping at imaginary dust and smoothing bedcovers that had not had a single wrinkle in quite some time. She sang as she worked partly because she was bored, partly because she could not stand the silence, and partly because she wanted to appear busy so Taka and Hakuchou could not force another wardrobe change upon her.

She was now wearing her third outfit...for that day.

_I swear I'm undressed more than I'm dressed nowadays, _she sighed to herself. _I wish Izanagi would just get them some Barbie dolls so they can stop playing with me._

Stopping her hands for a moment, Kagome took a step back to admire her impeccable work. The room was spotless...except for the vase that by the looks of it was not exactly in the center of that table.

Everything had to be perfect and a vase that was not perfectly in the center of the table she had dusted and shined to perfection was not perfect and Sesshoumaru deserved perfection!

Twirling on her heel, the miko started her song anew as she hurried to straighten the vase:

_"Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,_

_Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?_

_Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!_

_Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong."_

"Miko, what tongue do you speak in?" A raspy baritone sounded from behind her.

Gasping, Kagome dropped the vase she was holding. As it shattered on the impeccable wood floor, she could feel her heart pound, hear it pulse through her veins. Taking a deep breathe she turned around, a smile as big as Sesshoumaru had ever seen erupting across her face as soon as her eyes met his.

Suppressing her squeal of excitement, Kagome cleared her throat. "It's french," she answered in a disapproving tone, though the smile was still plain on her face. "And it's not a _tongue _it's a language. The language of love, actually."

Sesshoumaru stared deep into her eyes for an inconceivably long moment - a moment in which they shared their joy, their victory, their accomplishment, and their relief for being alive - before blinking and glancing away nonchalantly. "Hn, is that why it sounded so foul?"

* * *

**Chapter Note:**

_There once was a man from Nantucket_

_He lived in a golden bucket_

_But all of the gold_

_Was grimy and old_

_So, he said, "fuck it"_

Couldn't think of a rhyme relevant to this chapter, soooo you got one about mr. nantucket and his stupid ass bucket lol


	26. Chapter 25

_Chapter 25_

**Author Note:**

So, here's another chapter. Kinda short, but really it's just a filler. Like the peanut butter in reeses cups, and I like the peanut butter part better than the chocolate anyway...I think I got off topic. Whatever.

* * *

"When I get outta here I'm going to tear this fucking place to shreds, ya hear me!!!" Inuyasha yelled, his fists pounding the door for emphasis. "I'll fucking kill you, you bastard!"

Lounging placidly on the floor some feet away, a monk, a demon slayer, a fire neko, and a fox kit simultaneously rolled their eyes. They were getting quite tired of their friend's tantrum.

"I would have thought he would have worn his voice hoarse by now," Sango whispered bitterly to Miroku as they watched Inuyasha scratch gouges into the wooden door with his claws. The gouges immediately repaired themselves as if by magic, but the half demon didn't seem to get the hint.

Obviously if he kept scratching, eventually something different would happen.

"One _would _think that, wouldn't they?" He sighed. "Unfortunately his voice seems to be just as resilient as the hanyou himself."

Sango groaned.

All of a sudden Inuyasha went quiet, and though his friends were happy for the reprieve from his incessant screaming, they also knew that whoever - or whatever - had captured them was finally going to make itself known.

"I would take a step back if I were you," a pleasant yet powerful voice sounded from the hall. "This spell I have on this door can be a little tricky to undo, wouldn't want any dismembered body parts, eh?" The voice chuckled.

"Why I outta..." The hanyou growled, his claws twitching with fury.

"And don't try anything foolish," the voice warned, suddenly turning serious. "Whatever injury you plan to deal me won't succeed, and I have promised Lady Kagome that you won't be harmed...or something like that."

Inuyasha's ears perked and then flattened. "YOU'VE GOT KAGOME!"

BOOM!

In a puff of purple smoke Inuyasha was flung against the opposite wall, causing the whole room to rattle with his impact. From the depths of the swirling smoke a door could be heard unlocking.

"You could say that," Izanagi grumbled as she stepped into the room, the purple smoke disappearing as though it were never there. "Or you could say that she has me. Ordering me, a god, around to do her bidding. It's disgraceful."

Miroku, ever the delegate, decided now was the time to get some answers...before Inuyasha regained consciousness and started breaking things.

"Excuse me, I believe you mentioned our friend Lady Kagome," he said, rising to his feet and bowing ever so slightly. "Do you know where she is? We have been looking for her for quite sometime."

Still carefully brushing his impeccable kimono clean, though there wasn't a single spec of lint upon it, the regal looking man ignored Miroku.

"Ahem," the monk cleared his throat, causing the man to stop the meticulous maintenance of his clothing and focus his harsh gaze upon Miroku. Miroku gulped.

"Of course I know where she is," the man snapped as though having been interrupted from something terribly important. "Who do you think ordered me to...I mean, requested that I find you and bring you to my palace?"

"Kagome is here?" Sango piped in hopefully as Miroku took a hasty step back from the conversation.

"Have I not been perfectly clear? Yes, she is here!" He grumbled impatiently. "She'll be in as soon as she's dressed, I just stopped in to shut _him_ up," he said, pointing to the pile of unconscious hanyou on the floor.

"A great many thanks," Miroku squeaked.

The man shrugged and began to walk out the door from whence he came.

Shippo, unable to keep quiet any longer, eyed the stranger suspiciously. "Just who are you anyway, mister?"

"I'm sure you'll hear all about it from your friend Kagome, little one." He said without stopping or turning around. "For now, Izanagi will do." And he was gone.

"Iza-Izanagi?" Sango stuttered.

"Sango!" A melodic voice rang loud as the demon slayer was tackled by a mass of silk and raven-black hair. "That idiot did something right for a change, he actually found you guys!"

"Ka-go-m-e?" Sango gasped. It was quite hard to talk when all the air was being squeezed from your lungs.

"It _is_ you!" Shippo cheered as Kagome released Sango to grab the kit and kiss him repeatedly on his face.

"Lady Kagome, you have had us very worried," Miroku smiled.

Releasing the fox kit, the miko smiled. "I'm sorry, Miroku, but it wasn't my fault. I'll explain everything in a second, but for now I'm just so happy to see you guys!"

"Don't I get a hug?" The monk asked innocently.

_Some things never change, _Kagome thought fondly.

"Ha! As if," she snorted. "I may have missed you, but I haven't missed your lechery, that's for sure."

"Lady Kagome!" He gasped, "I am hurt, truly you wound me."

"Monk," a dangerous growl drifted from the doorway, "it would be wise for you to keep your hands to yourself, lest you wish to lose them along with your head."

All heads turned towards the door where an extremely agitated looking Western Lord stood.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome scowled as the taiyoukai imperiously walked to her side, his clawed hand coming to rest upon her shoulder. "You shouldn't be out of bed."

"I told you, woman, I have been healed for days," he groused. "I simply stayed in that infernal bed to cease your nagging."

_Oh, the nerve he has! If I wasn't so happy he's still alive I would grind his bones to make my bread. _

"Fine, do what you want, see if I care," she said, rolling her eyes, a smile she was not quite able to hide playing on her lips.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Miroku questioned, looking back and forth between the unlikely pair. The familiarity with which he touched her, the joking manner in which they spoke...it was all very strange. "What in the name of all that is holy, is going on?"

"I'd like to know that myself," a strained voice said as Inuyasha returned to the world of the living. "Now, get your filthy demon hands off of Kagome, you asshole!"

Sesshoumaru growled.

"You promised," Kagome whispered, putting a delicate hand on his arm. Sesshoumaru stopped growling, but his threatening gaze was unwavering.

"And YOU!" Kagome rounded on Inuyasha, "as happy as I am to see you, would you watch your mouth? I've been through a lot the past couple of weeks and I really can't handle one of your usual brotherly quarrels."

Inuyasha looked like he had been slapped in the face. "Kagome?"

"Oh put that surprised look away," she scoffed. "Obviously a lot of stuff has gone since I've disappeared, and if you would just let me _explain _then maybe we could get this whole mess sorted out."

"But-"

"Don't interrupt, I'm on a roll," she snapped. "So, that means you're going to have to sit down, shut up, and get used to Sesshoumaru being here. He's a big part of this, whether you like it or not, Inuyasha."

"Yes, brother," Sesshoumaru hissed. "Hold your tongue."

_Oh gods, I'm going to end up killing both of them, aren't I?_

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_Please don't fret that this chapter is short_

_It still took a quite a bit of effort_

_And since it's spring_

_Shorts are the thing_

_So just be happy and give me your support_

haha, that one was lame.


	27. Chapter 26

_Chapter 26_

**Author Note:**

Alright, so...I had a problem with my old chapter 26. I did not like it at all upon further review. Soooooo I made a new one. It's shiny, and new, and longer, and better...hopefully. So, enjoy!

* * *

A few hours, and one very convoluted conversation later, everyone was up to speed. Well..._mostly_ everyone.

Predictably, when a complex situation was being explained, one red-clad figure was resolutely out of the loop.

"You're trying to tell me that _HE _had nothing to do with this?" Inuyasha growled, pointing a clawed finger at Sesshoumaru.

Everyone sighed, shaking their heads - this was at least the fifteenth time that he had asked that same question. This conversation had been going back and forth, like a ping-pong game against two evenly matched opponents...or maybe more like a ping-pong match where someone just repeatedly hits a ball against a brick wall. Inuyasha was that wall: no matter how hard one hit, they just weren't going to break through brick with a tiny, white, plastic ball.

"Yes, a thousand times yes!" Kagome screeched, throwing her arms up in the air and then bringing them down to rub her temples furiously.

Inuyasha watched, taken aback by her outburst, as her face scrunched as though she was in an intense pain, her fingers rubbing calming circles at the corners of her eyes.

Slowly, meticulously - like the second hand of a particularly slow clock about to reach the 12 - understanding came to Inuyasha. And then...

It was gone.

"Keh, he's up to something," the hanyou scoffed, beginning to pace back and forth. "I bet he's in cahoots with that smoke demon."

Sesshoumaru almost rolled his eyes.

"He's not a smoke demon," Miroku corrected. "if we are to believe Lady Kagome, he's a-"

"Like I was saying, that _SMOKE DEMON, _and my ass-hole brother are up to no good," Inuyasha stopped to interrupt Miroku, before continuing his crazed pacing. "He's tried to kill us a million times over, I don't see why all of a sudden you guys are on his side. He probably put some full-demon voodoo on your brains!"

Spinning on his heal and shooting an accusing glare towards said full-demon, Inuyasha - not for the first, nor the last time - lost his sanity for a moment. "Well, did you?" He spat. "Admit it, you did!"

"There is no way someone is this stupid," Kagome muttered to herself as she continued to try and rub the calm back into her face. It wasn't working, it was just giving her some rather angry red marks on her fair skin. _Try not to sit him, it's not his fault his an imbecile, he was probably dropped on the head as a child...or something._

Paying no attention to Kagome's slight mental breakdown, Sesshoumaru responded by shrugging in his nonchalant way.

"SO YOU ADMIT IT!" Inuyasha exclaimed, his chest inflating with pride at finally figuring out this awful situation. Turning to Miroku with a smirk he said, "See, he admits it! I knew it!"

Deciding that he obviously had never gauged the extent of his half-brother's stupidity, nor the density of his skull, Sesshoumaru had had enough. "Yes, brother, that is what I have done. You surely have inherited our father's wisdom; I, unfortunately, have only inherited his _voodoo_."

Swiftly and gracefully the taiyoukai stood, his silk robes shining even in the spectacularly lavish room. "I am leaving now, I lack the patience required to handle such ignorance," he said to the still frazzled Kagome. Bending down on one knee he whispered into her ear, "I will not fault you if you do not have the patience either."

_Patience required? I don't have the artillery! _She ranted to herself, the crazed look of one with too much on their plate coming over her, _nothing short of a close-range missile could penetrate Inuyasha's thick cranium!_

"Kagome," his deep baritone rumbled in her ear, bringing her back from the brink of insanity.

_Oh, hi sanity, how have you been? Haven't seen you in awhile, we should keep in touch more often. Have you seen my good friends rationality and patience? I can't find them anywhere, the only one who has been keeping me company is never-ending frustration. _

Realizing that she was talking to fictional, intangible emotions, she opened her eyes and stopped rubbing her temples. Taking a moment to find herself, she sighed exhaustedly and shook her head. "No, it's okay, it might be easier to explain if I can talk to him alone. I mean, I'm the one abandoning the quest for the jewel shards to take this little side-trip. He deserves to know why I'm keeping him waiting."

"Hn, indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed, disturbed by her words for some reason he could not place.

_It is only because I do not wish to be delayed any longer than I already have, _he decided firmly. _Undoubtedly._

Straightening himself once again, he spoke to the whole room this time. "I do agree that the whelp deserves to know the reason his quest has been delayed. Though, the time required to teach the ingrate anything of importance might very well exceed your lifespan, miko."

And then he was gone.

"Hey, who are you calling a whelp!" Inuyasha uselessly shouted after h im.

Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kilala were already making their way to the exit by the time he looked over at them in indignation.

"I believe," Miroku sighed, "that he is calling _you _a whelp, Inuyasha."

The monk closed the door behind him.

"So, are you ready to talk?" he heard Kagome ask.

Turning, he shrugged moodily, "keh, spit it out, woman."

And "spit it out" she did.

There Kagome sat, delicate as a silk petal floating innocently on the surface of a puddle, telling a tale so fanciful and farfetched that it could not possibly be real.

_What's wrong...it looks like kagome, but..._

She glowed as her mouth moved in and out of the words she so eloquently composed, her hands dancing with the verbal melody she sang. She drew a story book in his mind, one so full of good that it could only be meant for children, and yet so complex that it could never be deciphered as it was meant to be.

_It has to be Kagome, but something isn't...no, this isn't right._

Nonsense, she was speaking nonsense. Telling him lies. Lying to him, tricking him, this was a trick.

_I can't listen to this shit anymore, _Inuyasha growled to himself, his horrified frustration becoming more and more evident on his face.

"-and then when we finally got to the South, the dragon lord actually came to us! I was in my pajamas - asleep! - and then before I had time to wipe the sleep out of my eyes we were fighting!" Kagome laughed.

Grabbing Kagome by the shoulders, Inuyasha's eyes flattened against his skull, his eyes growing wide with concentrated concern.

Kagome's laughter died in her throat, "Inuyasha? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I don't know what the hell this place has done to you, but I'm gonna get you outta here, okay?" He said in a whisper, as though the floorboards were listening. "Don't worry, I'm gonna get you away from here and then this will go away like a bad dream."

"I-Inuyasha," she stuttered, "Why do you think you need to take me away? Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"

Kagome was confused.

"No, I've been listening to the words they made you say," he hissed, his eyes darting from hers to the door and back again. "I mean, they've done something to your mind, Kagome. You're not making any damn sense."

_What is his problem! Is he saying he doesn't believe me?_

"I can't believe you!" She shouted, shaking herself free of his grasp and quickly getting to her feet in an angry tizzy. "You-YOU! You never listen to anything I say!"

Jumping to his feet, Inuyasha shouted back defensively. "I do to listen! What do ya think I've been doin' for the past hour?"

"No, you HEAR what I'm saying, but you don't LISTEN!" She spat derisively. "I poured my heart into that, I was trying to tell you about something important to me, something I wanted to share with you and you immediately decide I'm bound for the looney bin!"

Kagome stepped towards him angrily, her mouth opening to yell, but falling slack and silent at the last moment. Shaking her head she turned on her heal and headed for the door.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha pleaded after her. "How do you to expect me to believe any of that crap? That you, a human girl, could go on a magical adventure with my bastard half-brother? Remember all the times he tried to kill you? The first time he met you he covered you in acid!"

"And the first time I met a certain hanyou he tried to claw me to pieces over a jewel!" She cried, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. "People change, that was what I was trying to get through your thick, THICK skull!"

"People change, Kagome," Inuyasha scoffed, his arms folding in stubborn resolution. "Youkai don't. You may think that asshole has changed, you may think that you can...that he's..."

"That he's what, Inuyasha? My friend?" She finished gravely. "Well, he is, but he's more than that, too."

"Would you get a grip-" Inuyasha growled only to stop mid sentence. His eyes widened as he took in Kagome's words, his hands dropping to his sides as he stumbled backwards.

'_But he's more than that...' _ Inuyasha repeated in his head.

Something dropped into his stomach.

"No...no." He shook his head. "You...you're nuts. You're fucking insane!"

"What are you talking about!" Kagome exclaimed as she watched his strange emotional performance with growing concern.

'_But he's MORE than that. More, more, more...'_

"I can't believe you!" He cried in a angrily, his shaking hands clenching. "You, how could this..."

"Inuyasha!" She cried, worry evident in her eyes and in her open arms as he rushed forward to comfort him. "What is wrong!"

_No, he's more than me. She thinks he's more...he's always more._

"Don't you touch me!" He growled, his fangs bared. "I thought that you...that we, but obviously I was wrong."

Kagome, stricken with disbelief over the way he was yelling at her, could only shake her head as tears made salt trails down her cheeks.

"Well, whatever," he spat, his angry facade melting into the most painful expression of defeat and hurt she had ever seen.

Inuyasha's heart was breaking, every piece Kagome had slowly put back together, she was now tearing apart. He didn't even know his heart could break for her, not until now.

_I've been so blind, _he thought disgustedly. _And so wrong._

"Good luck with your quest, or whatever the hell you wanna call it. I have to go fix the mess you made when you first set foot in this era, the one I guess you're not going to help with anymore. Hopefully one you're done helping Sesshoumaru you'll go back where you belong so you can't fuck anything else up," he sneered, brushing past her as he made his way towards the door. "But then again, you'll probably just shack up with the slime, that's what 'more than friends' do, right?"

And he was gone.

And that was exactly the moment she understood what was wrong, the exact moment he walked out of her life was the moment she realized the words that could bring him back.

"Ally! He's my ally!" She screamed in horror, tears running down her panic flushed cheeks. She stumbled to the door and called out to the empty hallway in vain. "He's more than my friend, HE'S MY ALLY!"

Most of the time misunderstandings are more harmful than the truth. For they could plant the seed of an idea that once it has grown roots, would never go away.

_No, come back, please! _Kagome pleaded with herself as though she could telepathically reach Inuyasha through her overwhelming remorse. She did not know where he was, only that he was dying inside wherever he was.

_I killed him...from the inside out. Like cancer, I'm a cancer. A malignant, miko tumor. That's me._

"Well, doesn't that sound fucking ridiculous," she growled to herself. She shook her head in disgust. "My whole life is fucking RIDICULOUS!"

Grunting in frustration, she turned to the wall and kicked that bastard right in it's imaginary shins.

She may have broken her toe.

"My life is the definition of disastrous," she groaned, thinking of all the damage she had caused throughout her life. None seemed so unforgivable, so irreparable, so completely horrible as what she had just done to Inuyasha. She was a mistake, her whole life was a mistake. She shouldn't have been born, she was the embodiment of a perfectly good priestess' soul gone horribly wrong, and nothing more.

And then, because apparently she was incapable of displaying the proper emotions in her current state of chaos, she started to laugh.

Dropping to her knees, she clutched her sides, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

"And now I'm an insane, malignant, miko tumor!" She gasped in between laughs. "Awesome!"

Her hysterical, rhythmic laughs were like an ocean tide: swallowing her, tossing her about. Her mind was a prison, her thoughts of the damage she had done trapping her as her laugher crashed upon the prison walls in a vain attempt to set her free. She needed to escape from her mind, she needed to run away, be someone else. She needed to not be Kagome.

Somewhere in her mind she knew she was being overly dramatic, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Inuyasha's trust was the one thing that she coveted above all others, and now it was gone. And so she laughed.

But her laughter could not save her from her identity, it could not change her name or what she had done. No matter how loud she laughed, she could hear it calling to her, reminding her of what she could never change, of who she would always be...

"_Kagome? Kagome!"_

_Who me, the tumor girl? _She laughed hysterically to herself. _You don't want to talk to me, I'm cancerous!_

"Kagome!" Sesshoumaru repeated with more urgency as he kneeled in front of her, grasping her tear stained face in his deadly hand.

"_Oh," she remembered. "I forgot he would come for me."_

"Sesshoumaru?" She chuckled, her eyes finding his for a brief moment before shutting tight as she erupted in a fit of uncontrollable giggles.

"Kagome, you are worrying me," he admitted quietly, his thumb beginning to wipe the tears from her face. He was so careful and precise, so gentle and strong.

She wished he would scratch out her eyes so she could concentrate on something else, on anything else but Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.

"You should leave," kagome gasped, "I think I'm having a mental breakdown - HA!"

"Kagome," he said sternly, his deep voice echoing in the silence it left behind.

Blinking in confused silence, the lost miko struggled to remember what came next.

"There will be no more laughing," he commanded softly, his thumb catching her last tear before it could fall.

Swallowing, she nodded. "I..."

"You are upset," he finished for her.

"I'm upset," she agreed, her head drooping as she tried to get it together.

_Okay, that was a whole lot of crazy, let's try not to be crazy anymore, okay brain?_

"I...made a mistake. Sort of," she finally concluded.

Sesshoumaru tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, brushing her cheek reassuringly as he did. "You are not the first nor will you be the last to make a mistake."

"Well, it's not so much a mistake as a horrible, awful thing that I don't know how to undo," she sighed, her reddened, puffy eyes finding his.

He stared back, his face impassive, but his gaze deep and meaningful.

"I broke you're brother. From the inside. I broke him," she muttered childishly. "Because I'm cancerous and horrible and he hates me."

"You...are can-sir-iss?" He repeated unsurely.

"Diseased! I'm bad!" She exclaimed. "I accidentally did something terrible, like I always do!"

"Kagome, you must calm yourself and tell me what has happened."

Sighing she wiped her dripping nose. "I led him to believe that I was in love with you...accidentally," she admitted sheepishly.

_This is humiliating. Can I please just die? Who the hell lets me walk and talk on my own anyway? _She groused bitterly. _There should be some kind of universal quality control when it comes to what I'm allowed to do myself._

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was trying his hardest to not appear as shocked as he felt.

It was not working.

"I mean, my exact words were, 'he's not just my friend, he's more,' or something like that," she hurriedly explained to fill the awkward silence that had fallen between them. "But all I meant was that you were my ally! That I was gonna stick by you no matter what because you would do that for me!"

"Ah," Sesshoumaru finally managed to squeeze from his lungs.

"But Inuyasha thought that I meant I had feelings for you of the...uh, romantic nature," she blushed.

"And this was untrue..." he ventured.

"Yes! Completely untrue!" She laughed nervously. "I mean...you're you and I'm me, right? That's just...completely ridiculous."

"Of course," he agreed quickly, releasing her face in order to absentmindedly smooth the wrinkles on his hakama. "You will simply explain this to the half-breed. It is easily fixed, do not worry yourself over this matter."

Kagome began picking absentmindedly at her silk kimono as the taiyoukai became increasingly fascinated with his claws. They sat there for an infinitely long moment, paralyzed by the awkwardness that suddenly surrounded them. It seemed as though it would never break, though neither of them knew why.

"Miko?" the demon lord finally broke the silence.

"Hm?"

Hesitating for a moment, Sesshoumaru finally sighed. "I should get you to bed. It is late."

Disappointment filled her heart as his arm easily scooped her off the floor. He cradled her in the crook of his arm, her face getting lost in a sea of white fur and armor.

"Wait!" She managed to exclaim as she struggled tame his pelt. "You're going the wrong way."

"This is the way to your quarters," he corrected.

"But I always stay in your room..."

"I was under the impression that was strictly for the sake of my injured state," he said, raising a mocking brow.

Kagome huffed. "Well, it was at first - you needed tending to around the clock, but..." Kagome blushed, "I guess I kind of got used to it. Can I just stay there for tonight? All my stuff is in there."

A smirk twitched at the corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth as he adjusted his course. "If you insist."

_Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up now, mister. Just you wait until I dip your fingers in a warm glass of water tonight, then we'll see who's laughing. _

Kagome Higurashi was not a novice when it came to finding herself in strange places. She had visited kitsune magic schools, toured haunted underground temples, she traveled to a different time period on a regular basis for kamis sake! Though, she had to admit, the place she found herself in at this very moment was perhaps the strangest she had ever been.

There she was, bedraggled, mentally unstable miko, sitting in the middle of the Demon Lord of the Western Lands' bed.

_I don't think I should be here, _she decided for the fifth time, but still could not find the power to move.

She was completely unsure what to do in this situation and she was quite positive that she should do something other than just sit there like a frog being slowly boiled in a pot of water. What that 'something' was...well, she didn't know.

Why had he put her in this position? Why did he have to carry her to the room instead of letting her walk like an adult? Why did he have to drop her in the middle of his bed, HIS bed, and then disappear to change into his sleeping clothes? Why did the world constantly throw challenges at her that were above her mental and physical capacity?

Why was she asking herself questions and expecting answers?

"Miko, if you are going to be ill I would advise you to seek the washroom."

"Wha?" Kagome jumped.

"You look...green," he informed her.

"Oh...well, it's not easy being green."

The taiyoukai cocked a questioning brow, but said nothing.

"Ok, I have a question," Kagome sighed, averting her eyes as she often did when she decided to address anything that she was not completely sure she wanted to talk about.

Settling himself on the edge of the mattress, his golden eyes held hers. "Yes?"

"So, you know the night we...well, the night I kissed you?" She asked, turning a not-so-delicate shade of red. "I was just wondering, you know, what it was like for you..."

Ebony locks flowed in and out of his memory as determined eyes captured his. He remembered being captivated and confused and turned inside-out and back again.

"I..." The youkai lord hesitated, his eyes never leaving hers. "I do not know."

Kagome nodded.

"Does that upset you you?" He asked, curious.

_Does it upset me? I'm not mad and I'm not happy...I'm sad? No, I think it's more of a disappointed feeling...but why?_

"I don't know," she decided, her brow furrowed. "I don't really know how it happened or why I did it, but it was nice. I thought I only wanted to kiss _someone_ before I died, but I'm glad it was you. looking back I think...it was exactly what I wanted, but I didn't know that I wanted it until it was already over."

"It was...unexpectedly enjoyable," he concluded.

Kagome thought this was the most accurate description she could imagine.

"Inuyasha is very upset?" Sesshoumaru asked suddenly. He seemed genuinely interested, which surprised Kagome.

"Uh, yeah. More like livid and on the verge of homicidal," she answered.

Pausing, Sesshoumaru sat in silence for a long time; it didn't bother Kagome as it once would have. He had taught her to appreciate the silences when they came, especially since they seemed so fleeting as of late.

"He loves you," the taiyoukai finally spoke. His statement was firm and absolute - it wasn't a question.

"What?" Kagome said, taken aback. "Are you talking about Inuyasha?"

"I am not sure I know what love is," he continued, ignoring Kagome.

Kagome leaned back onto her elbows and shrugged. "I think that you're lying. Everyone knows what love is. Didn't you love your parents?"

"Perhaps at one time I did," he said slowly, almost wistfully, "but that was a long time ago. I think I have forgotten."

"Forgotten how to love?" Kagome asked, confusion in her voice.

"No, I do not think that can be forgotten," Sesshoumaru answered. "I think I have forgotten how to recognize love, miko."

"Well, then you must be even more stubborn than I thought," she chuckled.

"And why is that?"

"Well, because the only people that can't recognize love, are the people that don't want to admit it exists," she said matter-of-factly.

Sesshoumaru was silent, his golden eyes searching for something she could not see.

"I don't know, maybe it's easier for humans because we're brought up on stories of princes and princesses falling in love at first sight and youkai are brought up on stories of...well, wars I'm assuming," she mused. "But the opposite of love is easy enough to recognize."

"Are you implying that love is anything you do not hate?" He scoffed.

"No, I'm not," she said, sticking out her tongue at his rudeness. "Hate isn't the opposite of love, the opposite of love is indifference."

"Indifference?"

"Well, yeah," Kagome said. "Love is like...like being able to admit that you care and mean it with everything you have. Like if something happened to that person or thing, you wouldn't just be upset, you would be broken."

She shrugged, deeming this explanation a good one. "It's not really all that complicated, even though a lot of people like to think it is. Love is pretty simple, it's..."

Kagome paused. _Love is simple...it's only when you try to deny it that it becomes complicated. All those nights when I thought I felt something between us and told myself it was nothing...was I trying to ignore something so simple it was right in my face all a long? Could I...could I have feelings for Sesshoumaru?_

"Miko?" The taiyoukai questioned.

Shaking her thoughts away, Kagome gave him a weak smile. "Well, the point is: love is simple," she told him. "It's only people that make it complicated."

Turning his head away he sighed, a rare sight to witness for sure. "As is such with most things in this world."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Kagome yawned, her eyelids drooping.

"You require rest, miko," he informed her, standing in one graceful motion and slipping a blanket over her before she could realize what was happening. "I am going for a walk, I will return shortly."

"Mmmhmm, night," she mumbled, her eyes resolutely shut and her face buried in his pillow. "See you..."

And she was out.

Giving one last look to the sleeping miko as he quietly slipped out the door, Sesshoumaru whispered a truth that she would never hear. "I have long since lost my indifference of you, Kagome. Sleep well."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_Sometimes I can be a bit picky_

_Like when I eat my m&ms in a colored row_

_But writing can be kinda tricky_

_So read my new chapter, you ho! _

Haha, I used "ho"


	28. Chapter 27

_Chapter 26_

**Author Note:**

Soooooo, I hated my previous chapter (chapter 26, in case you needed help with that) and so I wrote a new one and swapped em out. I suggest reading it so you can be up to speed, unless you like being lost. Its sort of like an adventure that way.

* * *

Do you know when you're in a dream, and everything is just absolutely, impossibly ridiculous? Like the walls are oozing purple cheese and the floor is made of jello, all while you're taking a history exam, but you don't even bat an eyelash?

Well, Kagome was experiencing a level of strangeness that could only mean that she was dreaming...except that she realized that it was strange, which meant she wasn't dreaming...but this was all too weird to actually be happening. Wasn't it?

_Oh for petes-sake, it's way to early in the morning for this type of confusing dilemma! _For once she was just going to get to the point and put her questions at rest so that she could go back to sleep...or wake up...whatever.

"Sesshoumaru, why are we in bed together?" She asked blandly, her voice muffled by the pillow she still buried her face in.

She opened one eye and squinted at him, rebelling against the fact that she was eventually going to have to sit up to participate in this conversation. Her bed - well, _his _bed - was too warm to leave just yet.

"I am not in the bed, miko," he said in his aloof manner that usually expressed its annoying nature most avidly in the mornings. Kagome always figured this was because during the night he had too much time to spend in his own head, and his head must be an icy jerk that undid all the thawing she had accomplished during the day. "I am on it."

Groaning at her misfortune - because getting out of bed had to be the most unfortunate thing to happen to anybody ever - Kagome leveled him a glare that quite obviously said 'hahaha...not funny'.

Raising an aristocratic brow at her grumpy countenance, Sesshoumaru shrugged. "It is you who is the intruder in _my _bed."

_That should spark her temper for a few minutes, _he smirked to himself. He always did find mornings more entertaining when breakfast was preceded by a show.

"WHAT! You put me here!" She fumed.

"You asked to be put here," he corrected.

Throwing off the covers in a flurry of anger and clumsiness, the miko managed to get her foot tangled in the bed linens and fell to the floor with a thud. Quickly jumping to her feet, her face red with embarrassment and anger she threw up her hands. "I can't imagine why! You're impossible! What possibly possessed me to want to spend the night in your room?"

Winded by her indignation, there Kagome stood. At the foot of Sesshoumaru's bed. Hair tangled, clothes wrinkled and askew, her face pink, and her eyes wild as she panted for breath. In the silence that followed, Sesshoumaru sincerely considered the chances that he would remain un-charred if he were to poke fun at her current state. They were not good.

"Miko, calm yourself," he commanded. "I am here because you would not sleep were I anywhere else."

Her wild expression fading into one of confusion, she eloquently muttered, "erm...what?"

"You thrashed in your sleep," he explained quietly. "If I walked away, you would toss and turn and call out. You settled if I was near."

"O-oh," she stammered, her face flushing again. "Sorry I went all crazy and yelled, I guess I should have been thanking you, not questioning you."

He flicked his fingers in an uncommitted sort of way and turned his gaze from her, as if trying to declare the insignificance of his actions.

But Kagome knew better. _Isn't it funny that someone so imposing could be bashful?_

As morning began to wane into the undeniable brightness of the afternoon, the priestess found herself at a loss for what to do. Sesshoumaru had wandered off somewhere to do...whatever it was that he wanted to do she supposed, and the others hadn't come to find her yet.

"I think I should get out of this room and try to find everyone," she muttered to herself, her brow furrowed. "Only trouble is...there's a 99 percent chance that I'll probably get lost."

"Talking to ourselves, are we?" A mocking voice came from the balcony behind her. She spun to find Izanagi's back turned to her; he was seated placidly on the banister, his feet dangling over the edge and kicking at a wisp of cloud.

"You must be a couple billion years old, are you telling me you've never talked to yourself?" She countered, sauntering over the god and confused when she realized she was glad for his company. S_tranger things have happened, I guess._

"Of course I have, I just did not realize you had achieved the same level of madness."

"Sometimes I think I'm a whole new level of madness," she chuckled, his cheery laugh joining hers.

The two settled into an easy silence as they watched the clouds whip by.

"They're so fast up here," she mumbled in amazement. "From down on the ground they look like they're moving so slow."

"Things often pass us by much faster than we think," he nodded sagely. "But then again, for a being whom time does not hold any sway, I am hardly one to mutter words of wisdom."

"No, you're right," she sighed. "We just tend t o overlook it because we wish things moved as slow as we think they do. It's sad to realize that all those insignificant seconds that no one notices slipping away _do_ add up, and before you know it a day is gone, or a week."

"Or a moment done wrong you can never get back,?" He added. "Yes, perhaps time affects us all more than we think."

"Yeah," she agreed glumly. "But if everything stayed the same, untouched by time, that would be as unbearable as time moving ahead. It's not fair that there's never a happy medium, we're always being pulled this way or that...and I'm tired of being stretched."

"As am I, Kagome," he sighed, the wind picking up and clearing the sky of its puffy white inhabitants. The blue sky taunted her with its newly found perfection, and she turned away as her resolve fell into place.

She didn't want to be stuck her anymore, she wanted to get away from this place, she wanted to get away from the confusing mess her emotions and life had become. She needed to move forward, because it was true: there was no going back, it was either stay exactly as she was right now, or let everything change and hope it was for the better.

"I think we should leave soon, I don't feel right just sitting around when we have everything we need."

"Ready to end our engagement so soon?" He chuckled and then quieted, his face falling into an impassive mask that reminded her too much of a certain taiyoukai. "Yes, as soon as the inu returns we will depart, I have waited long enough."

"Wait...Sesshoumaru left? Where? Why didn't he tell me?" Kagomes jaw dropped. _I can't believe he just left me here without even saying goodbye or anything! The nerve. _

Izanagi brought her back from her angry internal rantings with his deep chuckle. "It seems you keep the dog on a short leash. Perhaps I should have kept a closer eye on on my bride to be for it seems she has been led astray."

And with a small _pop_ he was gone.

Kagome made like a suffocating fish for a few minutes while she suffered the indignity and indecency of what he had just said to her.

"I DO NOT HAVE A TAIYOUKAI LEASH!" She yelled at the sky and then sighed. "I really need to work on my come-backs."

Somewhere, in a field safe from Kagome's nonsensical screeching, a screeching of a different kind filled the air.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin squealed, running towards him at full speed, but stopping just before collision, her arms pinwheeling in an effort to remain upright. Finally grasping her balance, she smiled. "Rin has missed you! She has been picking flowers for your return."

Letting his eyes lazily drift to Ah-Un, he could clearly see the fruits of her labor. There was not a single spot on the beast that was not covered in flowers. Resisting the urge to sigh, he placed his hand atop her head. "Thank you, Rin. Now, come."

Turning on his heel he missed the astonished looks that his retainer and his ward exchanged.

But Rin's astonishment quickly turned to joy. "See Jaken-sama? Sesshoumaru-sama _does _like flowers."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_There was a spider on my wall_

_As I was writing this in bed_

_I couldn't kill it myself_

_because it might fall on my head_

True life, guys. It was out for blood, you don't even know.


	29. Chapter 28

_Chapter 28_

**Author Note:**

I am a bad, bad author. A bad one, the worst, in a really terrible cruel kind of way. I will not make any excuses as to why I never update this story other than that fanfiction always takes the back burner to life. It's been a hectic year (which sounds like an excuse, but it isn't...not really) I switched my major and got a job and all sorts of things. But being an art major has suddenly reintroduced me to that nasty thing called "creative block" which I have found is resolved by writing...that is until I get writer's block and the whole thing is very cyclical. So, my point is that hopefully I will be updating this story more than every seventy-five years.

Don't hate me, because I love all of you, just read and try to forget that I'm an awful person :D

**Also imma slowly add song lyrics to the beginning of each chapter that you should listen to ... if you feel inclined .. because i feel that they relate**

**

* * *

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_"You are broken and callow_

_Cautious and safe_

_You are a boundless and beauty_

_With fright in your face_

_Until someone loves you,_

_I'll keep you safe _

_But like them, I will give you away"_

~ The Hush Sound, That's Okay

By the time Sesshoumaru returned ⎯ his arrival unofficially announced by the chatter of several admiring servants, all female of course ⎯ Kagome had managed to pack all her things in her poor, worn, yellow backpack. It had taken some time, not to mention some seriously forceful stuffing, but everything she currently owned was safely tucked away inside the tattered bag.

It looked like a pregnant toad.

She gazed at it fondly, thinking of all the journeys they had taken together. It had traveled 500 years into the past more times than she could count, been to places as mundane and ordinary as a highschool, and places as extraordinary and magical as youkai palaces. It was quite remarkable how long it had held up; she had gotten it in the fourth grade and carried it almost everyday since. It was probably a miracle that it was still in one piece after all these years and Kagome couldn't help but wonder why the gods, after all of torture, would reward her with the gift of an everlasting, polyester bag.

The gods needed a lesson in 'thank-you' gifts, she decided, fixing the atrocious bag with a contemplative look.

_Well, now we can add 'underworld' to our list of crazy travels, _she inwardly sighed. _That is if we make it out alive._

Ever since she had made the resolute decision to depart sooner rather than later, that dreadful feeling of impending doom had begun to creep back into the recesses of her mind. It twirled like an eery smoke at the very edges of her consciousness, bringing the familiar waves of sadness and apprehension that she thought she had left behind when her lips had stolen their first true kiss so many nights ago.

Apparently not.

Her stay with Sesshoumaru in his silver-walled room as she tended to his unconscious form had been but a small reprieve between two incredibly fantastical and potentially deadly quests. The time had come for action once more and Kagome just could not shake the feeling that she had narrowly escaped the oven only to plunge herself headfirst into the fire. And of course with this came the feeling that her life might come to an end very soon and it was all very depressing and macabre and she felt like all this moping was probably giving her terrible frown-lines.

_Oh good, so either I'll die, or just look like death by the time I'm thirty. Super-duper._

It was then that she decided that she was afraid of death, simple as that. She didn't like admitting it because it seemed weak and feeble and terribly, selfishly human, but she supposed that had to be it. But ⎯ now that she had diagnosed her problem she was ready to enter that awesome stage of denial ⎯ why was being afraid of death weak, she thought indignantly? Thinking it over, she adamantly concluded that being afraid of death wasn't weak, that refusing to face death was.

Of course. No, she wasn't making excuses, why would anyone even suggest that.

Yes, she was afraid to die. Yes, she was terrified, but she would still go to the underworld, she would still face untold horrors despite the fact that she might perish. She would walk right up to death and laugh in his face! Maybe smack him around just because she could!

Take that death!

Or maybe she would sob with regret in her last moments, thinking how horridly stupid she was to waste her unfulfilled life. Maybe she would run when it came down to it, maybe that's why she was so sad ⎯ because somewhere deep inside she was a secret coward.

_I'm always such a coward when it comes down to it, _she sighed to herself depressingly. _I'll run right into battle only to scream and jump behind a rock when the going gets tough. I'll follow a fluffy-eared hanyou all over Japan, goo-goo eyed in love, but I can't ever tell him how I feel. What is wrong with me? The only person who could personally attest to my courage is the youkai Lord of the flipping West, and unfortunately he would probably categorize my actions as 'foolish' or 'the result of a rare brain malady', rather than courageous._

Why was it that she only seemed to be truly courageous around the most terrifying and icy demon in the entire world? A haughty youkai who seemed determined to ignore any redeeming qualities a human might have?

Probably because the gods had some personal vendetta against her for some horrible offense she had committed in a past life. Obviously.

It seemed so very typical that the only person to whom she had ever shown an ounce of real courage probably didn't even notice. Around him she challenged demons and endured lashings and was nearly eaten by dragons and she finally gathered enough resolve to actually kiss someone…

_Well, at least I won't die completely unfulfilled, _she reminisced. _I guess there's that._

That kiss _was _probably the most courageous thing she had ever done considering who she had kissed and her idiotic method of prioritizing that placed 'romantic endeavors' above 'surviving life threatening perils' on a list of significant life experiences. Maybe that was all she needed to cure this sour mood she had fallen into, maybe she just needed to find the nearest male and lay one on him.

After all, it seemed to have worked the last time. She distinctly remembered feeling significantly less depressed after she had kissed Sesshoumaru; happy even, on cloud nine.

And as she thought about that strange, fleeting night, Kagome wished more and more that she could go back to that moment and relive it a thousand more times. Maybe that was her real problem, the reason for all this dramatic sadness: that kiss was not enough. Maybe she was unsatisfied, unsatisfied that she had experienced something she had yearned for so long, that she had found so wonderful when it finally happened, and that she would only experience it just that once.

Maybe she wanted to kiss those lips again and again until she was so complete that willingly walking to her probable doom didn't matter.

Maybe she _should. _Maybe she should find Sesshoumaru right now, hold him down and kiss him silly. He would totally not be furious at all.

Actually, he would probably be infinitely furious...even though he didn't seem to mind last time. Would he let her? He had said that he enjoyed the kiss, which filled her tummy with happy butterflies, but was that who she really wanted to kiss? Why were Sesshoumaru's lips the first she thought of, why not Inuyasha's? When had she begun to turn to Sesshoumaru instead of his brother? Hadn't she denied any romantic feelings for him whatsoever just last night? She didn't love him...did she? Maybe she didn't need to love someone to want them. Or maybe she loved someone because she _shouldn't_ want them…

_And maybe I should stop thinking about boys like the hormone-crazed teenager I am._

"All these maybe's are giving me a headache," she sighed, zipping her yellow bag shut with a few forceful tugs. A sense of finality settled over her, as if by closing her bag she had effectively placed herself in front of the gates of the underworld, waiting for her comrades to join her.

"Even when you are alone you cannot be silent," Sesshoumaru smirked from the doorway.

Kagome spasmed like an epileptic.

_Why can't he ever knock like a nice, polite inuyoukai who is aware that their miko companions suffer from severe heart palpitations when they are frightened one too many times? _She wondered as her heart raced. She had a feeling that he had been there for a long while now, just watching her internal freak-out. Silently judging her sufficiently crazy enough to be institutionalized.

_Why do I insist on being the most crazy futuristic miko to have ever lived? _

"Some people think in their heads, some people think out loud," she said haughtily, trying to pretend that she had not just had a twenty minute, in-depth conversation with herself and that he had most certainly not watched.

"You have packed your bag," he noted, choosing to ignore her.

Duh.

"Yeah, everything we'll need is in here...well, at least I think," she mumbled, wrinkling her brow in dissatisfaction. "It's sort of hard to plan what you'll need for a trip to the underworld...seeing as I've never been there. I hope it's not cold because I don't have room for an extra set of clothes."

Sesshoumaru responded with a bland look. Kagome decided that she should probably not talk anymore. Ever.

Especially since she might say something incredibly stupid, like 'what luck that you're here, I was just thinking about making out with you!'

Which he would respond to by vomiting acid on her face.

Sighing, she idly flicked the zipper pulls on her bag, one arm hugging her chest and a crease in her brow. She looked troubled, the demon lord decided, and even though he was not terrible adept at predicting the reasonings behind her often sporadic moods, he thought he recognized the sadness in her eyes.

"Miko," he called in his quiet baritone. His voice sent shivers up her spine, but she ignored them, deciding that for once she did not want to answer. She could barely hear him move, but the delicate rustling of his hair told her that he had come just a few steps closer.

"You left," she accused morosely.

"I did."

"You didn't say goodbye."

"I did not," he intoned.

The miko huffed in frustration. "Well, that wasn't very considerate and I didn't know where you went or when you would be back and I can't go anywhere in this castle without getting lost, so I was stuck in this room all day and I'm _hungry._"

Sesshoumaru raised an aristocratic brow and waited for her to catch her breath. "If you were hungry I am sure one of the servants would have brought you anything you desired."

_Shut up, you don't get to be logical, you jerk! If I have to be rip-roaring crazy, you at least have to be illogical!_

"T-that's not the point! You're supposed to tell people where you're going so they don't worry about you!"

The taiyoukai watched as she flustered around the room, waving her hands in distress and pacing back and forth as she rambled.

"⎯I'm not a mindreader, Sesshoumaru, I don't just automatically know where you're going whenever you decide to make a detour⎯"

He had the distinct impression that she was not actually upset that he had not informed her that he was leaving ⎯ he had never informed her of any of his actions unless he saw fit and she had not seemed to mind ⎯ but that she was venting her frustrations in this ridiculous tirade.

"⎯It's like I'm traveling with a mute! Like you're a big, haughty, scary mute who refuses to be anything less than the most annoyingly obtuse individual to have ever lived⎯"

What exactly her frustrations were was what puzzled Sesshoumaru.

"Miko, calm yourself," he ordered.

"Calm? How can I be calm? We are literally going to HELL tomorrow and you want me to be calm!" She ranted. "And don't interrupt!"

And just like that he was in front of her, a quick blur that was suddenly pressed against her. Kagome was silenced by a pair of lips that came crashing down upon hers. Her eyes widened in surprise as his fingers snaked their way through her hair and then fluttered closed as his mouth moved against hers. What had she been worrying about?

This kiss was not like the first: it was rough and strong and full of a heat that threatened to melt her into a pile of goo. She was not in control of this kiss, and ⎯ she absentmindedly realized ⎯ perhaps neither was he.

Hs tongue forced its way into her mouth and danced with hers in a waltz that was both slow and sensual, and fiery and passionate. They kissed for an eternity, his hand tangled in her hair and hers had found his chest and were pulling him to her. Somehow they found themselves on the bed, the same bed she had been so embarrassed to share with him that morning, and he was on top of her, covering every inch of her with his embrace.

_My oh my, the big bad wolf sure knows how to eat little girls up, Kagome, _her mind supplied. She told her mind to shove a cork in it.

She was no longer confused, she did not wonder if she wanted him, she knew she _needed _him, but before she could tell him, before she could grab him and hold him to her forever...he pulled away.

Panting, Sesshoumaru pushed himself off of the little miko, stumbling a few steps backwards for good measure. What had he done? He had simply meant to kiss her soft and quick as she had kissed him the night before their battle with the Southern lord. He had wanted to shut her up, to calm her down and erase her worries as the first kiss that night under the night sky had done. He had not planned, not meant for this...

"I...apologize," he managed in a fairly good impression of his usual indifferent tone, and he made to leave.

She let him. Kagome let him leave even though some small part of her wanted to demand that he stay because a bigger, louder, more confused part of her was currently short circuiting.

_Ummm, huh?_

It was like she was in an old cartoon and her head was filled with tiny people at tiny desks typing tiny memos that were meant to be her tiny thoughts and memories. Then Sesshoumaru had kissed her and all her tiny metaphorical brain computers had caught fire and the tiny metaphorical business people were running in circles, flailing and screaming and desperately trying to escape through her ears. Maybe she should be screaming and flailing too, maybe that's what you were supposed to do when you were a magical, human priestess from the future and you were kissed by the most feared and haughty demon lord in all of Japan.

Who was also your current love-interest's half-brother…who you had kissed that one night, but only because you thought you were going to die...who you sort of liked kissing and didn't know if you had developed some sort of deranged crush on and had ironically been thinking about kissing just a few minutes ago...who apparently liked kissing you too.

_NO! _Kagome shook her head vigorously as if to rid herself of this blasphemous train of thought. _He definitely does not like kissing YOU, Kagome. Don't flatter yourself! It's a miracle he even decided to honor your lowly existence and be your friend-ish sort of thing. There is absolutely no way in hell that kissing session was anymore than a-a freak accident!_

Except it didn't really seem like a freak accident…

"That's it!" She announced to no one in particular. "I'm getting drunk."

Sesshoumaru was hiding. He, most feared, most powerful, most terrible demon in the entire world...was hiding.

It was most embarrassing, but no one had to know he was hiding...as long as no one found him.

Growling to himself for no reason in particular except for that he felt like it, Sesshoumaru undressed and lowered himself into the water of the seemingly infinite basin. The bathhouse was heavy with steam, the air like drinking rather than breathing, but the inuyoukai did not mind. It was meditative, and meditating was exactly what he planned to do.

_What has just occurred? _He wondered in a sort of strange detachment, watching the steam rise from the surface of the enchanted water in elegant curls. Well, to be honest, he _knew _very well what had just occurred, but the question was more of why it had occurred.

Being the logical youkai that he was, he decided to list any and all possibilities. Firstly, he was a male. A manly sort of male that had very...male type urges. Honestly he had always been able to control these sort of urges after the passing of his fifth century, but the miko had a nasty habit of making him fall victim to all sorts of things he had once thought he had perfect control of.

Like his motor functions apparently.

Though even in his adolescence he had never actually tackled a female onto a bed and assaulted her with his mouth...which made the whole situation seem a lot more inappropriate than he thought it deserved.

I mean, he hadn't actually _tackled _her…per-say.

Secondly…perhaps he simply liked kissing the miko. No, that was certainly not it. He most definitely did not like kissing the wretched shadow that swooned for his even more w retched half-brother. Except that she wasn't wretched, his mind corrected, and for the past few weeks she had been _his _shadow. Which meant...well, he did not know what that meant, but he definitely did not like kissing her, he did not like anything about her...except the way she bickered with him, or the way she laughed at the most ridiculously inappropriate times, or how deceptively powerful she could be.

But that was it. He hated everything else. He hated the way she walked ⎯ her hips so ignorantly seductive as they swayed ⎯ he hated the way she taunted him with her overwhelming innocence, and he hated the way she disappointed him when she laughed at the thought of them being romantically inclined, calling it ridiculous. It was not ridiculous. He was the most sought after bachelor in all of Japan, how dare she deny him? How dare she declare herself immune from his obviously superior masculinity?

Not that he cared.

No, he most certainly did not.

She was obviously unbalanced if she preferred that hanyou over himself anyway.

Not that it mattered in the slightest whom or what she preferred. Because he did not care. At all.

Sesshoumaru sighed, his head felt sort of fuzzy in a way that told him his thinking was beginning to wander to pointless places. Wading through the water to the marble side of the basin, he crossed his arms over the edge, his chin resting on them in a morose sort of way.

He had never, in all his long years, truly wanted for anything. He coveted his brother's sword simply because it bothered him that such a powerful weapon was bequeathed to a child, but in truth he cared not for the sword. He had desires, passing fancies to be sure, but never had he wanted something so fiercely that it pained him deep inside that he could not have it. But, as he silently soaked in the washroom he had chosen for his seclusion, he could not help but feel that his very soul ached, as though it were missing something vital and would surely endure this awful ache forever more if it was not returned.

Curiously, he only seemed to notice it now, away from all company, away from Kagome. Yet, what did this mean? He did not know and this was why he was hiding.

_For a demon barely passed his ninth century, I suddenly feel very old._

"Sango!" Kagome bellowed as she wandered down the palace halls, they might as well have been a labyrinth for all the progress she was making.

She was sure she had passed that potted plant before. _This is all your fault, _she told it, narrowing her eyes in contempt. _It's your fault I'm lost you-you...ficus!_

The plant said nothing...because it was a plant. Kagome declared herself victor of that conversation and continued her search.

"SANGO!" She called again, taking her next right and continuing down a hall that looked depressingly the same as all the other halls in this godforsaken palace.

"My lady Kagome, may I be of assistance?" Taka cawed, her golden bird eyes going wide in alarm at all the ruckus she was making.

_Good, maybe you can actually help me out for once instead of torturing me with your sadistic dress-up game, _Kagome thought in an uncharacteristically bitter way, which she immediately regretted.

"Um, could you show me where my friends are?" She smiled timidly, intimidated by the hawk's unwavering stare. "More specifically where Sango is?"

Cocking her head to the side she considered the request before slowly blinking and nodding. "This way, Lady Kagome."

"Thanks, I probably would have been lost for the rest of the night if you hadn't found me," Kagome chattered.

"I suppose these halls must seem confusing to a guest," Taka mused as she walked with quick, sharp footsteps. "But if the rumors I have heard of you are true, you seem to lose your way more often than most."

"Haha, yeahhhh," she laughed, embarrassed.

"Here we are," Taka announced suddenly, stopping abruptly and motioning to the door directly in front of her. "Is there anything else you desire?"

"Um…" Kagome hesitated, suddenly unsure of the request she was about to make. _Come on Kagome, don't be such a wuss. _"Sake," she blurted out and then blushed. "please?"

The bird blinked slowly before inclining her head. "As you wish, my lady."

Kagome sighed in relief as Taka disappeared down the hall, not quite able to squash the feeling that she was doing something naughty, even though in this time there were so such things as legal drinking ages.

But laws didn't apply to time-travel...did they? Whatever.

Returning to the task at hand, she took a deep breath and knocked twice on the shoji screen before her.

It immediately flew open to reveal a battered looking Miroku, a red welt searing across his cheek and an amused kitsune on his shoulder. "Ah, Kagome, what impeccable timing! I was just off to find a bathroom ⎯

Sango harrumphed in the background

⎯ and you have arrived just in time to keep our lovely Sango company!"

"More like just in time to keep her from beating you up," Shippo smirked.

"I do not know what you mean, my friend," he said innocently.

"Get out of here you lecher," she growled, "and don't come back until you've found some manners."

Kirara mewed in agreement.

"Then, my dear," Miroku said most seriously, "I'm afraid this is goodbye forever."

Miroku slipped passed Kagome as Sango threw a well-aimed shoe at the very place his head had just been. Ignoring Miroku's joyful laughter, Kagome raised a brow at her friend.

"Being a pervert, as usual," Sango sighed, turning to her fire cat. "Kirara, why don't you follow him. Make sure he isn't doing anything...unwholesome to those poor servants?"

The cat mewed and then ran after the wayward monk. Kagome smirked and closed the screen behind her.

Sango's expression turned suddenly serious, "Kagome, are you alright? Inuyasha came back here late last night, looking most upset. He would not tell us anything, but he tried to convince one of the servants to take us back to the village. When they refused he stormed off and we have not seen him since."

"It's a long story," Kagome sighed, her shoulders sagging at the thought of Inuyasha's pain and anger. "He sort of thinks that Sesshoumaru and I are together...like, _together_ together."

"Oooooh," Sango nodded in understanding before whispering, "and you are not together, correct?"

"What? Of course correct!" Kagome sputtered. "I don't know why it even crossed his mind that I could have feelings for Sesshoumaru, I mean, he's Sesshoumaru! He's the epitome of untouchable!"

"Not to mention gorgeous," Sango sighed dreamily, giving Kagome a, 'what? He is and you know it' sort of look when the miko stared at her in disbelief. "You cannot deny he is incredibly handsome, not to mention he has that sort of mysterious air about him that just is so intriguing."

"Sango!" Kagome gasped, half surprised, half amused. "Aren't you supposed to be a mighty demon slayer?"

"Well, of course," she waved her hand dismissively, "but I am a woman, as are you. There are certain...qualities Sesshoumaru-sama possesses that does not let us ignore this fact, tell me I am wrong."

"I can't," Kagome admitted, pouting as though she had just lost some important argument. "Which just makes everything even more confusing, especially after the kissing⎯"

"THE WHAT?" Sango exclaimed, her eyes so wide that they might as well have popped out of her head and begun orbiting the sun. "Kagome-chan!"

The miko flinched, "I know, I know, I'm an awful person, but to be fair he totally kissed me the second time, so it's not _all _my fault."

Sango shook her head in disbelief, "my dear friend, you have some explaining to do…"

And so, Kagome explained. Everything. Every-single-tiny-little chemically charged moment that had happened between the icy demon lord and the chipper miko. Somewhere in between the explanations the sake arrived, and Kagome had her first taste of alcohol...which she immediately decided she hated, but downed another shot nonetheless. The tales got louder and more animated as the sake bottle emptied, and Kagome was having a hard time keeping up with Sango as she threw back shot after shot like a burly sailor with a drinking problem. She was already having an extremely hard time pronouncing 'Sesshoumaru' by the time Sango called for another bottle, and her story was proving very difficult to tell because of this.

"And so then I was thinking that-that uh I might, ya know, die the next day," Kagome said very seriously, gesturing obscurely with her hands. "So, I was thinking how I've never kissed a boy, like a real kiss, so Sesshooo-Seshhoormaro was the only one there and I sort of just kinda like walked up and kissed him."

Kagome hiccuped, looking utterly surprised, and then burst out laughing.

"I cannot believe you did that, Kagome-chan!" Sango laughed, taking a swig right from the bottle.

"I know!" Kagome guffawed, "I thought he was gonna strangl - hiccup - throttle me!"

Kagome swiped the bottle from Sango's hands and tipped the bottle clumsily into her mouth. All of a sudden the lamps magically filled with bursts of light, illuminating the dim room. The sun had been starting to set, but this had evidently gone unnoticed by the two friends, least of which Kagome who gasped and then promptly choked in surprise.

Patting her on the back as the miko sputtered, her throat burning from the alcohol, Sango gave her a concerned look. "You do not hold your liquor very well, Kagome-chan."

"Gimme a break, it's my first time drinking. It's sort of awful, by the way."

"You have never drank rice wine before?" Sango said, vaguely amazed.

"Nope! There's laws in my time that say you can't drink alcohol until you're old enough," she said giggling, "if you do they'll come and put you in the slammer."

"Slammer?" Sango questioned, a little tipsy herself after so much alcohol. She had been a demon slayer, a young women tagging along with a group of rough, tough middle aged men who drank almost as much as they swore and she had learned to keep up. But it had been awhile since those days and she was out of practice…

"Anyway," Kagome continued, swaying where she sat. "So that was all well and good, and I think we both kinda liked it, even if it was really weird. 'Cause it _was _really weird. Anyway, afffffter that, we fought that dragon guy and Sessoshoumaru got hurt and the dragon exploded and we came back here and stuff...where was I?"

"You came back to the palace after the dragon…"

"Oh yeah! So that happened, and then you guys were here! And then Inuyasha was mad at me, so I told Sessomaharu that, I mean Sesshoumaru, that I did not have feelings for him, because I don't and then we slept in the same bed, but not in _that _way, and then the next day I was packing and he kissed me. Well, more like attacked me. And there was tongue." Kagome stuck out her tongue and wiggled it for emphasis, her eyes crossing as she attempted to look at it.

"Well, Kagome, it does not seem to me that you have no romantic feelings for him," Sango said sagely, the effect slightly ruined as she pointed the sake bottle at Kagome, some of the horrid liquid splashing out the top and onto the floor. "And I think he might have some feelings for you too."

"What!" Kagome exclaimed, laughing and tipping precariously to the side. "That's sill - hiccup - that's silly - hiccup - that's stupid!"

"Noooo," Sango shook her head vigorously. "Who has ever heard of Sesshoumaru _kissing _anyone. Would you have even thought it possible before you went on this journey with him? NO! See? So there you have it."

Sango took another swig, looking proud of herself.

"No, we just have a...a mutal understanding of each other, thatsall," Kagome insisted. "I mean the kissing is just some weird accident, or something. He's a demon, they probably do weird stuff like that all the time, it's probably no big deal."

"Was it a big deal for you?" Sango asked pointedly.

"Well yeah!" Kagome blurted matter-of-factly. "Being kissed like _that _is usually a big deal I'd imagine."

"No, I mean, did you feel something?" Sango corrected. "Did you like it? Did you wish he would never stop?"

Kagome shook her head in the negative, but her mouth would not lie. "Yes. He made me feel...right, whole, like everything was exaclty perfectly perfect."

Kagome hurried to cover her mouth, but her words had already slipped out.

"Ah," Sango nodded in an overly exaggerated sort of way, "then we are afflicted by the same illness, Kagome-chan."

"And what is that, Sango?" the miko yawned, the alcohol making the floor look awfully cozy and inviting for a quick nap.

"We are both desperately in love with all the wrong men."

* * *

**Chapter Notes:**

_Four score and seventy-five years ago_

_I updated my story_

_and then..._

_i was a bad person and everyone hated me and i forgot how to rhyme and this isn't really a poem at all - ory_


	30. Chapter 29

**Author Note:**

I'm updating again? Whoa, I know, crazy stuff, amiright? P.S. I like Med & Dia, because Femrock is cool, man.

_"I saved that bottle, it's now ten years aged _

_I've got some baubles I could sell for money _

_And a pair of fresh shaved legs _

_Won't you baby come with me, I've got extra space _

_In my car, in my heart, in my mind _

_Look there's the passenger seat by the postcards you gave _

_I'm going away"_

_~Meg and Dia, I'm going away_

"Miko?" Sesshoumaru whispered, his lip curled in mild disgust. He didn't dare nudge her awake for fear that her vile stench would permanently attach itself to his person.

"Mmmnaff?" She elegantly intoned, making an odd chewing motion and then proceeding to snore...loudly. He rolled his eyes as the woman next to her, who reeked of even more alcohol ⎯ if that was possible ⎯ shifted and the empty bottle of sake rolled out of her embrace.

_Can I not leave you alone for one night? _He inwardly sighed, holding his breath and chivalrously putting his senses aside to scoop up the slumbering miko and deposit her ever so carefully on the bed not ten feet away. Shrugging in a resigned sort of way he picked up the demon slayer as well and placed her beside Kagome.

They made an odd pair; the demon slayer was so heavily sedated she might as well have been comatose, while the miko's snores reverberated off the walls so loudly it made his head hurt, her awful chorus interrupted only by her occasional tossing-and-turning.

He dared a sniff at his haori and decided that another bath was in order...or perhaps seven.

He found alcohol abhorrent, and seeing as it took a considerable of alcohol to have any affect whatsoever on a demon of his caliber, there was really no point in forming a habit. He had tried sake once: it tasted horrible and made his nose burn, and he had never tried it again. Unfortunately, it seemed Kagome had found it considerably more palatable, and was obviously considerably less immune to its affects.

Poor foolish miko.

Of course it was probably he, Sesshoumaru, who had driven her to seek such an uncharacteristic means of relaxing. She was the strongest woman he had ever met, but also the most easily flustered. And what he had done was most definitely flustering...for both of them.

_How very accomplished you are, Sesshoumaru, _he chided himself. _You have driven the most innocent young woman in all of history to drinking._

"They have certainly had some fun tonight, don't you think?" Izanagi said wistfully, appearing from nowhere without warning.

Sesshoumaru nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Hn," was all he managed while attempting to curb the urge to melt the idiotic kami. Meanwhile, Izanagi lazily made his way to Kagome's bedside and leaned in close to inspect the young girls.

"It certainly isn't very lady like," he continued, a hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "And they smell _awful._" He pulled away with a look of disgust and took a few steps back for good measure.

"The miko is not a lady in any traditional sense of the word," the taiyoukai muttered.

"You would know, would you not?" He said crisply, his keen eyes snapping to Sesshoumaru's, a hint of condescension in his voice. "Considering the _shenanigans _you two have been up to lately."

The taiyoukai immediately decided he did not like where this was heading.

"I do not know what you tend to imply," he ground out, his teeth clenched, "but it is most disrespectful of two individuals who have gone through a great deal of trouble to right your wrongs."

Izanagi gave him a withering glare before deciding the situation was absolutely laugh worthy and chuckling heartily.

"My dear dog, I do not see why she fancies you," he laughed. "You are the most stiff creature I have ever created."

"She does not fancy this Sesshoumaru," he corrected, his voice laced with monotony and indifference.

"Ah, you do no think so, do you?" Izanagi smiled a devious grin, "but it is so obvious that you fancy her."

The little miko gave another loud snore and began drooling on the pillow her head had been so elegantly placed on. Both males wrinkled their noses just a bit.

Sesshoumaru did not answer. Sesshoumaru did not have an answer...

"It is good that you do not deny it," Izanagi added, clapping him on the back, which was comparable to slapping a large boulder. A large boulder that gave out death glares. "but now we must discuss your intentions, dog."

"My intentions are to fulfill this foolish quest and return to a pleasant existence without interference," he stated mechanically.

In a sing-song voice the kami rang out, "li-ar."

"This Sesshoumaru does not _lie_," he hissed, his composure slipping.

"Perhaps you do not realize it, but I do not believe those to be your intentions at all," Izanagi said, his tone suddenly serious. "Do you wish to tell me that once this quest is over, you and our lovely miko will part ways and you will think not of her again? You will not ache for her conversation, ache for her company, ache for her lips…"

The taiyoukai remind as silent and still as a statue, the god's words having a note of truth to them that he could not completely deny. He had always dealt with verbal attacks such as these with violence, the sound of steel upon steel speaking louder than his words ever could. He had never placed much value on the simple art of articulation, but it did not seem so simple as of late. Now...oh how he wished he was gifted with a silver tongue.

"You are a tough egg to crack, Lord Sesshoumaru, but she has cracked you," he nodded. "You are cracked and broken all over the floor for all to see and it is all her fault."

Izanagi, smiling wickedly, as though this were the most devilishly wonderful game he had ever played, leaned close to the great demon's ear.

"And you love her for it," he whispered. Chuckling a deep hearty chuckle that was somewhere between jovial and malicious, Izanagi took a step back and spoke once more. "The great and distant Lord Sesshoumaru, in _love._ Your mother was right, eh? That one day you would find a female whom you would die for if only she asked? Would you die for her, dog? Would you fall upon a blade simply to see her happy and safe?"

"Do not patronize me," Sesshoumaru growled, his hand nearly shaking.

"Oh, I would not dare. I am simply here to warn you," the god spoke lightly, as if their conversation were nothing more than simple small talk.

Sesshoumaru was barely keeping his temper in check. "Warn me of what?"

"That you will not let your enormous ego break this poor girl's heart or there will be consequences," Izanagi shrugged. "Whether you would like to believe it or not there is a place in her heart for you, one that grows bigger each day, whether she has realized it is there I know not, but it _is _there. And if you should turn from her, it will break her."

Izanagi was beginning to fade, the gleam of his eyes and teeth the only things still visible in the dark room. "And then, I will break you, dog."

_Oh my god why is there an elephant sitting on my skull? _Kagome moaned to herself as she slowly reentered the world of the waking. Well, it felt like there was an elephant sitting on her skull, but she had the sneaking suspicion that this was the sake's fault. Not hers, no. In no way was this her fault.

Obviously the sake had magicked itself down her throat.

"I hate booze," she groaned into her pillow.

"As you should," Sesshoumaru's deep voice boomed in her ears, making her cringe.

Giving a pathetic sort of yelp, the miko fixed him with large, bloodshot eyes, her frightened gaze wavering as her heart beat settled. At which point she rolled said eyes and collapsed face-first back onto her pillow.

He did not know what had gotten into the daft girl, but he was not going to let her sleep all day. As it was the morning had already come and gone and she had just been sleeping; dead to the world and stinking like a liquor ridden corpse to boot.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru growled lightly. "You smell foul, I suggest you bathe."

Kagome had the most childish urge to yell back, _your mom smells foul! _But resisted, settling instead on whining, the much more mature solution.

"Ohhhh, I hate you!" She moaned like an injured cat, yanking the pillow out from under her head and stuffing it over her exposed ear. "Why do you always have to be such a jerk and why do you have to speak so _loud?_"

Sesshoumaru lifted a puzzled brow; he had not been speaking any louder than usual.

"She has a hangover, my lord," Miroku chuckled. "Humans tend to suffer from an unbearable headache after a night of uncontrolled drinking."

"He's here too!" Kagome's muffled voice cried out in dismay. _Oh, how can this morning be any more painful? Wait...on second thought, I don't want to know how the answer to that question._

"Lady Kagome, you hurt me at my very core," Miroku gasped in indignation, the amused edge to his voice giving him away.

"He will not leave," Sesshoumaru said flatly, obviously insinuating that he would like to _make _the monk leave whether he wanted to or not.

"Threat of dismemberment would not pull me from this room, Lord Sesshoumaru," Miroku said seriously. "Not with two of my favorite women in bed together."

Sesshoumaru sneered, intending to put the monk in his place, but he was beaten to it.

"Pervert," Sango groaned from beside Kagome and rolled over.

"They're both perverts," Kagome groused, "watching us while we sleep, humph!"

_I will kill her. I will kill her and I will like it. _Sesshoumaru told himself, desperately trying to keep himself from overturning the mattress upon which they slept.

"Miko," the taiyoukai whispered, deciding to be done with this foolishness. "If you had the intention of departing today, I believe you have inadequately prepared yourself."

"What?" Kagome questioned, having no idea what he was...oh wait. Now she remembered. The whole 'save Izanami and avoid being wed to a crazy kami'. That's right. "Oh...yeah."

"Indeed."

Kagome reluctantly sat up, tossing her pillow aside, and immediately felt her stomach churn. "I feel like my insides died. I am never drinking again."

"Are you going to be ill?" The taiyoukai asked, taking a step back and looking as though she had suddenly sprouted an extra head and perhaps a few tentacles.

"No, but thanks for the concern," she said blandly. _Sickness? Red alert, red alert! Abandon ship!_

"Good, do not do that," he ordered.

"Wasn't planning on it."

"Would you two be quiet!" Sango groaned, adding a "Shhhhhh" for good measure.

Sesshoumaru did not know how to handle the indignity of being 'shushed,' so he simply ignored it. "I will accompany you to the wash room now," he announced and went to go stand by the door with his back to the room.

_Stupid dog demons and their stupid dog noses, _Kagome grumbled to herself as she stumbled out of bed and threw Miroku a glare as he laughed heartily at her expense. _And stupid minks and their...stupid-ness._

Kagome Higurashi had a way with words.

"Coming?" Sesshoumaru said with a certain tone of indifference that she recognized as impatient. When she had learned to decipher emotional meaning from his many forms of indifference she had no idea, but she assumed it was sometime right after she had gone completely off the deep end.

_Well, good, I can be an official haughty dog demon translator, _she thought to herself giddily. _Prerequisites include: patience, good work ethic, and being completely bat-shit nuts._

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she sighed, stopping a few steps behind him and motioning for him to lead the way.

She fell in step just slightly behind them and concentrated very hard on anything and everything but the pounding of her head. She really, REALLY hated sake.

As they walked in silence that reminded him so very much of their time in the forest, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel as though everything had gone back to normal. What he had done the day before had definitely crossed a boundary that he had never meant to break, and he knew that she was just as startled by it as he had been. Yet she acted as though it had never happened...perhaps she did not remember? How he wished the memory would be so simple to erase, but unfortunately he did not think that was the case. Yet, was that what he truly wanted? Did he want things to continue as they had been before the other day, as if it had never happened?

He did not know, all that he _did_ know was that he vehemently wished that he could forget Izanagi's words. The ridiculous god danced upon his shoulder, taunting him with words like 'love'. Demons did not love, least of all Sesshoumaru. Love was a distraction, a frivolity he could not afford, a weakness he had always been so sure he would never succumb to.

But as they walked side-by-side, in companionable silence, he could not be sure. He hated her, he hated the way she turned his thoughts to dust, the way she caused his reason to crumble and his resolve to slip away. And yet...he reveled in it. It was like a drug, the unsureness, the chaos she inspired within him. No one had ever been able to unsettle him as she did and he was sure that no one ever would again.

He feared it, the idea of _her,_ the way she dominated his thoughts, making him uncertain of everything he thought he had known. He had never been allowed to fear, for fear was weakness and weakness was death in his world. But fear, he realized, was the most forbidden fruit of all; why else would he want her so much?

And he did want her. He wanted her so bad it hurt even though he knew he shouldn't, even though he knew to take the forbidden fruit was to meet your end. He would gladly meet his end for her, he realized, and that was the most terrifying revelation of all.

Giving Kagome a sidelong glance, he couldn't help but think that it was a lot easier to face your downfall than he had thought it would be.

"How are you feeling?" Sesshoumaru asked in an overly interested way that was very unlike him.

"Uh...like someone took a baseball bat to my temples...why?" Kagome asked suspiciously, choosing to ignore the fact that he had no idea what a baseball bat was.

The inu youkai shrugged vaguely. "Alcohol seems to have disastrous effects for humans."

"Good observation," she said sarcastically as they stopped, mid-hallway, in front of a door so similar to the walls around it that Kagome was sure she would have missed it on her own.

He did not know how he had wronged her, but she was being uncharacteristically snippy.

"May I attribute your irritability to the alcohol as well," he said flatly, observing her with narrowed eyes.

Kagome resisted the temptation to slap him.

"No, that can be attributed to _you_," she growled. "I mean, what the hell, Sesshoumaru? Remember yesterday? You-you don't just kiss someone like that and then run away!"

_Ah, so she does remember,_ he sighed inwardly.

"I apologize, Kagome," he said sincerely, bowing his head slightly. And he was sorry, not for the kiss, but for after.

"Oh, no way, you don't get off that easy!" She said irritably. "I need some answers."

Sesshoumaru felt like he had been asked to give a great many 'answers' as of late, yet he knew none.

"Miko," he sighed. "This is not the time, nor is it the place."

"Yes, it is. Right now, in the hallway outside of the bathroom sounds like the perfect time and place to me."

"You are insufferable," he spat.

"Then why did you kiss me!" she countered, her hands on her hips.

And that was when the mental dam Sesshoumaru had placed around his thoughts broke and all of them came rushing out through his mouth.

"BECAUSE I WISHED TO!" He roared, his composure flying out the window to some faraway land. Kagome wished it would come back, Sesshoumaru was sort of terrifying without it. "It pleased me, miko. I do not know why, I do not know when, but you have become…"

Sesshoumaru sighed, furrowing his brow as if the very fate of the world depended on his ability to put his feelings into words. He did not want to say anything, he wanted to take it all back, but it was too late now. He couldn't turn back, she had made it impossible, _she _was impossible.

"You don't have to say anymore⎯

And he was impossibly attached to her.

"I would lay down my life for you," he murmured earnestly. "I would give my life for you, Kagome. That is all I know, though, I do not know what it means."

And now she knew it too.

"I…" Kagome looked stunned. She supposed this had been a long time coming. Perhaps she was just the master of denial, but until he had said those words, she would not have believed them. But now that he had, now that he had put into words everything she had been fighting so hard to keep vague and intangible, she realized that she had know this for a very long time.

"I know," she said simply, blushing prettily.

Sesshoumaru loved her, and she knew it. Though, she had no idea why...perhaps neither did he.

And then, came the world's most awkward silence. Sesshoumaru, never being one for words, either did not know what to say, or felt as though he needed to make up for his brief period of uncharacteristic chattiness by going completely mute for an indefinite amount of time. Kagome was simply a deer caught in the headlights. Yup, she was just a poor magical deer from the future and Sesshoumaru, the biggest, most shiny car in all of feudal Japan, was about to run her over and she couldn't move…except that there were no cars in feudal Japan, which made her metaphor sort of pointless. Whatever.

"Sooooo," Kagome ventured, staring at her feet, her toenails, the floor, the nails in the floor boards, the very atoms of the floorboards ⎯ anything but Sesshoumaru. "What happens now?"

The demon lord, apparently being brought out of his silent reverie, spoke steadily, "we finish what we started, little miko, and then...i do not know."

And with that he turned on his heal and started walking away. "I will retrieve you when you are done, simply call for me when you are ready."

"Oh...ok," Kagome stammered stupidly, forgetting exactly what she was supposed to do for a moment before remembering that, apparently, she was so smelly that it had warranted an escort to the bathroom.

She didn't remember pushing open the door, undressing, or climbing into the magical basin of water that was more like a small indoor lake than a tub. But apparently she did because that was the only explanation she could think of for why she was naked and neck deep in water.

_Hey, hey you, _Kagome started. _Who, me?_

_Yeah, you! _The miko sighed. _What?_

_Sesshoumaru loves you. He told you so. Just a second ago. Remember that? _Kagome rolled her eyes. _Of course I remember that! Now would you kindly shut up, so I can forget about it? I can't think about this right now! I'm supposed to go to hell and fight scary...things and I can't do that if you're gonna remind me about how someone told me he would die for me, and how it means that someone probably loves me, and how I'm terrified and thrilled and a lot of other things that I can't quite understand at the moment. So PLEASE, just shut up._

_...You do realize you're talking to yourself, right? And therefore just told yourself to shut up, right? _Kagome huffed. _Well, duh._

Kagome Higurashi, certifiably insane, talking to voices in her head kind of crazy, decided that she needed a distraction. A distraction which manifested itself into an obsession to be the cleanest miko this side of the Prime Meridian. So, she scrubbed and scrubbed, and washed and washed, until her skin was red and sore like someone had slapped her all over her body for ten minutes straight.

"But at least I don't smell like an alcoholic!" Kagome sang, doing a little victory dance over her dead, smelly skin cells. And it was then that her belly did that unpleasant churn again.

Only, she realized, it wasn't really a 'you drank me into oblivion and now I'm going to throw up just to spite you' kind of churn. It was lower…

"Seriously?" She shouted to no one in particular. "SERIOUSLY!"

_Why can't I just be a man? _Kagome grumbled to herself as she stomped out of the tub and grabbed the closest towel. _If I had a penis, everything would be perfect. I wouldn't have any boy drama, I could let my underarms be as hairy as I want, and my aunt flow would not come to visit at the most inopportune moments._

It was then that Kagome realized that she, to a certain extent, was wishing for a penis. Which, she decided, was not the strangest thing she had ever done.

Kagome dried off, wrapping her hair in the towel on top of her head and really wishing she had some nice, ugly sweatpants instead of the sheer, skimpy yukata that had been left out for her...or just appeared out of nowhere, as things in this palace had a tendency to do. Kagome put on her unmentionables, muttering an apology to her panties for having only one spare tampon, the only tampon in all of feudal Japan, and then pulled on the yukata.

It was cold, and short, and awful, and black, which was a very seductive color and Kagome did not want to be seductive. She wanted to be the opposite of seductive, she wanted to be...un-seductive! She should be wearing puke green, not sexy black because sexy black might attract the attention of some sexy demon lord and that would make it very hard to not think about said demon lord...and how sexy he was...and how he loved her.

Damn it.

"Sesshoumaru!" She called in desperation.

Of course he appeared immediately and of course he looked her up and down ⎯ ever so subtly, but she saw! ⎯ and lingered at her cleavage...which was rude, she decided, but she had more pressing matters to address, and other matters to attempt to forget about.

"You smell of blood" Sesshoumaru stated blandly, looking mildly worried, but obviously trying to exude the air of indifference. "Why?"

Kagome cursed the heavens. Why did every man she had ever been interested in have a nose able to smell anything and everything? Even having a human nose had left her with enough experience to know that most humans and their functions smelled pretty disgusting.

"Because I hate being a woman, that's why," she grumbled, tugging at the hem of her yukata in hopes that it would miraculously make it longer.

"I do not…" Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, his thoughts going to a time so very long ago when his mother had smelled of blood for days on end, nearly a month. He had asked her about it of course, and she had in turn explained the 'joys of being a woman', which he then spent the next 800 years trying is hardest to forget.

"Yeah, now you get it," she sighed, her eyes rolling as she gave up on trying to make her yukata grow.

"You are in estrus?" He said, sounding mildly horrified.

"In what?" Kagome's eyebrows rose so high that there were in jeopardy of disappearing into her hair. "It's my time of the month, if that's what you mean."

"The…month?" He used the word as though it were a foreign language, one that he had never heard spoken.

"Yes, there are twelve of them, you know," she said slowly, as if he were daft. "And for one week of every twelve of those months human females get a _special_ visitor, and that week of this particular month happens to start today. Hurrah."

Kagome gave him a look that so elegantly said, 'duh'.

"...visitor," Sesshoumaru repeated the word, being so typically male that it was almost funny. ALMOST, but not quite.

"We bleed. Down there. You know for...procreation and stuff," she blushed so fiercely she thought she might make an excellent stop light.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru then decided that he had a great deal yet to learn about human females, and that the prospect of being so elaborately tied to one was becoming ever more frightening. He also discovered that Kagome talking about procreation made him want to do the strangest of things...like run into the ocean and swim as far and as fast as he could. Either that or take her to bed with him.

Neither of which were particularly...productive options.

"It is my understanding that this particular...phenomenon occurs only once every century for youkai women," he stated, his eyes refusing to meet hers. He did not know why he was continuing this extremely delicate topic, but it seemed as though he could not stop.

"Well, good for them," Kagome said flatly. "But I need to get back to my room or I am going to be even less of the chipper delight I am now."

Thankful for the excuse to put this conversation to rest, Sesshoumaru led Kagome out of the bathroom, NOT letting her go in front of him because he liked to watch the sway of her hips ⎯ because he didn't, not at all ⎯ but simply because he was a gentleman. And gentlemen never had to resist the urge to rip garments off of certain scandalously clad mikos. Not ever.

**Chapter Notes:**

_Sesshoumaru and Kagome, sitting in a tree_

_K-I-S-S-I-N-G_

_Kagome is a wacko, she's crazier than me_

_And Sesshoumaru learned about the birds and the bees_

:D


	31. Chapter 30

_Chapter 30_

**Author Note:**

Okay, so...you. Yeah, you. I need your help. I don't wanna be a whiney bitch and say "wahhh, I'm a review whore, wahhhhhhh!", but I do want your input. These past couple of chapters have been super hard to write, mostly because I have no idea how to make a cold demon lord and a stupid, naive priestess admit to being in love to not only each other, but themselves.

So, help me out? Tell me if I'm doing ok. Am I heading in the right direction, or are you completely pissed at me for being such a failure? For those of you who do review, THANK YOU, and for those that don't, I wanna know what ur thinking because honestly I can't tell if I love or hate this chapter. You tell me.

**P.S. THE SONG THAT IS QUOTED HERE IS AWESOOOOOME. Listen to it, it makes me cry sometimes, because I'm a sappy goo monster made of mush.**

_"I want to know your plans and how involved in them I am._

_When you leave for good will I be forgiven?_

_And If you want roses you can go buy a bouquet._

_If that just won't cut it, well what can I say?"_

~Say Anything, I want to Know Your Plans

It was late afternoon, the sun at just the right angle to cast harsh shadows through the numerous windows that adorned the sky-palace, as a certain demon lord made a rather bold decision. It was not a decision he had come to lightly, but it was a decision that he would carry through nonetheless.

A decision which required certain...unpleasantries.

Sesshoumaru navigated the numerous halls with a sort of precision that could only indicate familiarity, or the practices of one very skilled tracker. The taiyoukai was, quite literally, following his nose, for he knew it could not lead him astray.

_The hanyou's stench fills this palace in a most displeasing manner, _the lord groused. It was a smell of burnt wood and traveled paths, scents which he did not find pleasing in the least, but most displeasing of all was a scent that was very familiar to him. It was _his_ scent. The hanyou and the lord were kin, the scent of their blood marking them as equals, when Sesshoumaru saw them so very far apart.

_Yet, blood is blood, no matter how filthy, _he sighed in a resigned sort of way. He had always come to this conclusion about his half-brother. It was why he followed him from time to time, why he had protected him on occasion, and why he had not killed him when any other would have fallen to his claws.

The half-breed was _family, _in the most basic sense of the word, and Sesshoumaru was honorable enough to treat him with the most basic of privileges of this status. Which, of course, was why he was here.

"Inuyasha," he called, arriving outside the room he knew the whelp to be hiding, but making no move to enter. This conversation would not be a pleasant one, he was in no hurry to begin.

He heard a muffled 'keh' and then the distinct sound of something very breakable hitting the door and shattering.

_Childish as always. _He sighed, this would be a practice in extreme patience, a virtue of which Sesshoumaru possessed very little.

"Inuyasha, we have matters to discuss," he announced, formality lacing his words. "Though, I will leave you to your childish sulking if you refuse to act in a manner befitting the son of the Great Dog General."

A few quiet moments passed, in which Sesshoumaru was sure Inuyasha was fighting the impulse to yell countless expletives at him, but in the end the hanyou merely sighed.

"Well, are you gonna just stand out there? What, you can't even look me in the face while we talk?" The half-demon scoffed.

The taiyoukai pushed open the shoji screen, stepping into the room and then quickly closed it behind him. The room he now found himself in was dark, the shades drawn and the furniture in various states of disarray, though nothing seemed to be broken. Even the vase at his feet was whole, though he had clearly heard it shatter.

"It just puts itself back together," Inuyasha stated, briefly glancing at Sesshoumaru over his shoulder. His back was turned to the taiyoukai and he stood facing the wall, his arms crossed into his sleeves. "Can't break anything in this damn place."

It was obvious the hanyou had been having a tanrum.

"Half-breed…" Sesshoumaru paused, deciding that civility was in order. "Inuyasha, I believe you and the miko have come to a misunderstanding."

The red-clad hanyou bared his teeth. How dare he come to him and talk about Kagome? Wasn't it enough that he had finally won, that he had finally taken something so precious from him that his will to fight, to survive, was gone? Then again, the arrogant bastard _would _want to rub it in his face, and why not let him? He had lost. He had lost Kagome and he didn't deserve her back if he had let that asshole taint her.

"Yeah? Well, why isn't she telling me this herself? Why did she send you, lover boy, huh?" Inuyasha spat, his brow hardened in defiance, but his eyes full of hurt and defeat.

"I am here of my own accord," he said so calmly that it made Inuyasha all the more furious. "As for the miko, I do not know why she has not confronted you herself. Perhaps you have scared her away with your childish tantrum."

"Tantrum! Why I outta⎯"

"No, there will be no fighting, I will have this conversation be a civil one or I will leave," the demon lord said crisply.

Inuyasha fixed him with a calculating stare before shrugging and looking away. "Keh, what do I care if you leave. Either say what you've gotta say, or get out 'cause I outta rip out your throat for doing what you did to Kagome."

The hanyou's voice spoke her name with the sadness of something lost and never to be found again, and Sesshoumaru had to wonder if he would feel the same way were she to turn from him.

"And what, dear brother, have I done?" He asked blandly, but with a softness that only those closest to him would notice.

Inuyasha did not.

"Taken her, that's what!" Inuyasha growled, spinning to face his brother, the anger he had obviously been fighting now evident on his face. "She's mine, the one thing I got in this whole damn world, and then she disappears with _you _and suddenly I'm stuck with jack-shit!"

"I have not 'taken' her, Inuyasha," he sighed, the uncharacteristic gesture catching the hanyou off-guard, his ears flattening in distrust.

"You're lying, you bastard," he scoffed._ Bastard, he's just trying to get to me._

"I am a great many things, brother, but a liar is not one of them," Sesshoumaru flipped his hair over his shoulder in a distracted sort of way and continued. "The miko remains loyal to you, but has become loyal to this Sesshoumaru as well. As loyal as I have become to her."

Inuyasha eyed his half-brother warily. He had been thinking about this situation for the past days and nights and anguishing in the absurdity of a world where is brother and his miko loved each other as he had once loved Kikyo. He knew it could not be true, he knew it, but did he dare hope? "So, you and Kagome, you're not...together?"

"Not anymore than _you _and Kagome are together," he answered. "Which is why we have matters to discuss."

Inuyasha's heart soared despite himself, but something about the way Sesshoumaru worded his answer was just a little off...Inuyasha looked suspicious again, though there was a spark in his eyes once more. "What would _you _have to talk to _me _about?"

"Courtship."

"Courtship," Inuyasha repeated the word aloud, tasting it on his tongue and finding it foreign and tart. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The inuyoukai huffed in annoyance; of course the whelp had not been versed in youkai courtship rituals, and of course it would wall upon _his _shoulders to correct this fact.

"There are certain...traditions one must follow when one is of noble status and wishes to court his female of choice. Being half-youkai, and a Prince of the Western lands, it is your responsibility to observe these traditions, do you agree?" He asked in a clipped tone, one that spoke of getting this over with as soon as possible.

The hanyou's ears flattened, his cheeks coloring. "Uh...sure, but I don't see why we need to discuss this _now_⎯

"Because, Inuyasha, we are _brothers_," he emphasized as though this explained everything and Inuyasha was being particularly dense.

The half-demon had no idea what his crazy half-sibling was babbling about, but he decided that he probably didn't like where this was going. "Look, you obviously have somethin' important to say, but I have no idea what you're jabbering about."

Sesshoumaru had the sudden revelation that his parents deserved a lot more credit than he had ever bothered to give them for putting up with his undoubtedly numerous questions as a child. Explaining things was absolutely frustrating.

"We are brothers, Inuyasha. Normally if two males intend to court the same female, they fight to the death, the winner claiming his prize," Sesshoumaru explained, impatience dripping from every word, "but when two _brothers _decide upon the same female, there is an entirely different protocol. In that case, the winner is decided by the female."

Inuyasha's teeth clenched as is half-brother's words started to sink in. "And you're telling me this because…"

Inuyasha was not nearly as daft as he seemed, but what he thought Sesshoumaru was insinuating was ludicrous. It was impossible, no, it was more than impossible. There was no way that his arrogant, demon-blooded, son-of-a-bitch brother could possibly want _that._

"This Sesshoumaru was under the impression you sought the miko's attentions," Sesshoumaru intoned. "I am simply informing you that I do as well."

The hanyou's heart clenched. No, why would Sesshoumaru want _her_? Hadn't he just explained that he was not together with Kagome? Why was this happening! It was as though he had been having a nightmare and woken up for the briefest of seconds, in which he thought himself safe, only to discover that the nightmare had become reality.

Why did Sesshoumaru want _his_ miko? And, more importantly, did Kagome want Sesshoumaru too? Inuyasha had always thought that her heart belonged to him, but he had been callous, ignoring her simply because he did not wish to deal with whatever it was he felt about his current priestess, and the one he had loved so long ago. He had refused her advances, turned to Kikyo ⎯ despite the fact that he knew it hurt Kagome deeply ⎯ holding onto a love he had long ago lost, but through all this he _did _love Kagome too. He had simply not been ready to move on...had she waited for him? Or had he pushed her away one too many times, making room in her heart for someone else…

His sadness and uncertainty manifested itself in the only release it had ever known: anger. "Keh, you ain't got a chance! Kagome would never want you, you bastard!" Inuyasha yelled venomously.

The taiyoukai, for the first time in his long history of dealing with the tiresome wretch, felt his words strike him cold, for there was the very real possibility that she would not want him. "The miko will choose who will have the right to court her, Inuyasha, I will announce my intentions this night, I suggest you do the same if you wish to be considered."

"I'll do whatever the fuck I want, asshole!" Inuyasha yelled, drawing his sword. "And don't you kid yourself in thinking I'm lettin' you two go to hell alone, I'm not leaving Kagome with you! She's _my _responsibility! Now get the hell outta here and go back to whatever hole you crawled out of!"

"It is not my quest you seek to intrude upon, Inuyasha," he said scornfully, the prospect of traveling with his brother even more repulsive than usual. He knew that this discussion was a horrible idea ⎯ why did he come here? He should have just ignored tradition and pursued the miko on his own, but that would have been _dishonorable._

And if Sesshoumaru was one thing above all else, it was honorable, though at the moment he couldn't imagine why. It brought him nothing but grief.

"Do as you wish, half-breed, but if you wish to join this quest, it is not my permission you must seek." Not even sparing Inuyasha a second glance, he turned on his heel and left.

"I don't need anyone's permission to protect what's mine!" Inuyasha called after him. "So, just stay away from Kagome!

The taiyoukai sighed. _I can't, little brother, I can't._

Sesshoumaru was acting...weird. Well, _weirder_, Kagome corrected as she watched him lazily fold the clothes she had dumped out of her bag in her hurry to find a certain feminine product. He folded them perfectly ⎯ of course ⎯ stacking them in neat piles that put her own piles to shame.

Couldn't she be better than him at _something?_ She thought maybe she would have him beat at laundry, but obviously not. Stupid perfect demons.

Amazing laundry folding skills aside, there was very obviously something troubling the demon, and it made Kagome nervous. Well, to be honest, she had been nervous around him ever since this afternoon when they had spoken about certain, uh, things. She wasn't really sure what he expected from her, and ⎯ quite honestly ⎯ she didn't want to have to think about any expectations at this point in time.

She was confused. So very confused. His confessions had left her at a cross roads, an intersection between a love that had had been burning inside her for so long, and one that had just begun to ignite. It was the difference between and steady, strong type of love and an intense and passionate one. The difference between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. She didn't know what she wanted, she didn't know _who _she wanted, and it would take a great deal of thinking and soul searching to figure that out, and she was feeling _lazy._

She didn't want to deal with this, not now, not while they still had this job to do, not while Naraku still plagued the world with his presence. What would romance give her other than a distraction that she didn't need? She had a job to do, she had a world to save, and she couldn't deal with the conflicting waves of emotion in her tattered heart. She was only 16, she was still a girl, and she knew that her relationships with both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru ran deeper than anything she would have been asked to deal with were she a normal girl.

Were she to face her feelings, were she to sort them out and choose, it would be for life: there would be no dinners, no movies, no dating, there would be a commitment, and she did not know if she was ready for that. She did not even know if she loved Sesshoumaru...she didn't even know if she could. Her head told her no, but her heart refused to speak.

Yet she did love Inuyasha, she had for a very long time, but she wasn't entirely sure that the only reason she still chased after him was because he refused to be caught. She hadn't thought of him in a romantic way...well, since she had started traveling with Sesshoumaru. Yes, she loved him, but what kind of love was it?

She had loved him so intensely and unwaveringly that she wasn't sure _why_ anymore. Yes, he was still admirable and brave and strong and courageous, but the butterflies he used to give her were gone. It was almost like he was her favorite color; you fall in love with one color and you go crazy, buying nothing but that color, wearing nothing but that color, prizing that color above else. Yet, after a while, that color isn't as exciting as it once was. And even though that excitement is gone, if someone asks you, 'what's your favorite color?', you automatically answer, thinking of that period in time where that color was the most beautiful thing in your world.

Had her heart grown so familiar with loving Inuyasha, that she hadn't realized her love had changed? Loving Inuyasha used to be her whole world, but now it was just something that was there to occasionally examine when all other things faded away. Did that mean that loving Inuyasha had become less important, or that everything else had simply become more important?

She thought she loved him, wanted him to be something more, but she wasn't so sure anymore...

Besides, she didn't even know if Inuyasha would accept her if she chose him...she wasn't entirely sure Sesshoumaru would accept her either. After all, he hadn't exactly said anything other than he would die for her, which was a big statement to be sure, but it wasn't a marriage proposal or anything. Maybe dogs were just overly protective of the things they carried with them, and she was just something that would wound his pride were she to die.

But she didn't know. She didn't know _anything_! And she wanted it to stay that way so that she wouldn't have to deal with it, because dealing with it seemed very convoluted and messy and she just didn't have it in her. Her life was a soap opera and all she wanted to do was slip into a coma and wake up with amnesia, so that her life could be simple again.

_Maybe I should just hit my head on the door frame until I give myself a concussion, _she thought miserably. _Maybe then I wouldn't have to think about anything. I could just be poor, brain-damaged Kagome and no one would expect anything from me._

Yet even someone with brain damage had to admit that the awkwardness between the miko and her taiyoukai companion had increased tenfold ever since he had disappeared after her bath. He had left in a rather taciturn mood after directing her back to the room, something obviously on his mind, but she hadn't bothered to ask. She wasn't sure she had wanted to know the answer, what with all the confusing confessions and tension between them, which she was still trying very hard to forget about for the time being.

Her efforts were completely unsuccessful, as her thoughts had taken up the nasty habit of repeating Sesshoumaru's words, 'I would die for you', over and over in her head. It was like a never ending echo, and she just wished it would go away so that she could simply _look_ at her taiyoukai companion without feeling as though she were about to melt into a bubbling puddle of mushy goo.

And this feeling had been particularly hard to ignore since he had returned from where ever he had run off to, seeing as he was doing nothing but starring. At her. Into her eyes. A very intense, deep stare that one would expect a dying man to give water.

Kagome blushed and turned away, hoping to hide her face. She was determined to finish her packing and ignore the strange behaviors of make youkai. That were in love with her...maybe...which she was trying to forget about.

_I'm a mess, _she thought to herself miserably. _I am going to need SO much therapy, not that any therapist would listen to my tales of demons and time-travel without locking me up. On second thought, therapy is probably a bad idea…_

Kagome had the urge to throw a hissy fit.

_Maybe I should just embrace the crazy. Then I could just sit in a corner meowing like a cat; it would be a lot cheaper than therapy and I could play with all the yarn my heart desired. Awesome._

Chancing another look at Sesshoumaru ⎯ who was _still _starring at her like some creepy stalker who was terrible at subtly ⎯ she had the insane image of a red-eyed, white-haired dog chasing a black, scatter-brained cat and quickly cleared her throat and averted her eyes to hide her laugh.

"Okay, I think everything is packed," she announced, grabbing the shoulder strap of the poor, yellow monstrosity.

Suddenly the miko squeaked as a firm, clawed hand grabbed hold of her wrist.

Her eyes immediately sought Sesshoumaru's and slowly she let go of the bag, her cheeks burning. She looked away when he let go of her wrist and shouldered the bag himself. He had carried her bag before, but somehow this was different. This was important and she couldn't help but feel that this simple act of kindness meant far more than she knew.

"O-okay, um, let's go?" She asked, turning her eyes from the taiyoukai and trying desperately to still the butterflies in her stomach. She told them to catch fire and die slow deaths because they were only making her thoughts more complicated.

Shaking her head slightly, she heard Sesshoumaru shift and felt his claws gently prick the small of her back as he started to lead her from the room.

"Lady Kagome," a small, slight girl chirped, appearing in the doorway with the tiniest of 'pop's. "Lord Sesshoumaru," she acknowledged them both with a low bow that was awkward and jerky.

Getting over her initial surprise, Kagome tried very hard not to yell at the girl for giving her a minor heart attack. It was like the palace was haunted and it was only a matter of time before something literally appeared in front of you and made you come ever so close to peeing your pants.

"Uh, yes?" Kagome decided to ask, seeing as Sesshoumaru would probably just be rude to the poor servant.

"I am here to deliver an invitation and a message from my great master," the small, brown-feathered girl twittered. "In one hour, you are to join the master for a feast this night. All in your party will be in attendance. It is to be a formal, and _mandatory_ affair."

Kagome almost chuckled as the bird-girl sent an accusing glance at Sesshoumaru. She could almost _feel_ his desire to slice the poor, jittery thing in half.

"And the message?" Sesshoumaru asked, his tone cold.

"Ah, yes," the girl muttered, her cheeks coloring subtly. "My great master wished me to tell you that, 'since you two have been taking your dear, sweet time, I have decided that we will feast tonight and depart tomorrow at dawn. You had better be ready or I will skin you both and hang you in my foyer as an example to all those who cannot be bothered to keep track of time'."

The servant ended her rant with a low bow and mumbled something about meaning no disrespect, before scampering off down the hall.

"Sheesh, he sure is impatient for someone that lives forever," Kagome scowled, ignoring the guilty voice in the back of her head that told her she had been planning on leaving yesterday, but had let her personal business get in the way.

"Time is important to all, even those who do not bend to it," Sesshoumaru shrugged lightly, his hand still on the small of her back. She wished he would take it away already because it was very hard to concentrate with his hands on her.

"And YOU," she accused with an exaggerated roll of her eyes, using the conversation as an excuse to turn and face him, effectively breaking their contact. "Do you have to be so infallibly all-knowing?"

He shrugged in a way that said, _I do not have to be, I simply am. Neener, neener, neener._

Okay, maybe Kagome added that last part on her own.

"Well, it's annoying," she huffed, a playful gleam in her eyes. "And you know what? You're annoying. So there."

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant browin mock surprise. All of a sudden he glanced every so quickly passed her shoulder, as though something down the hall had caught his attention, before his glance returned to her. He smirked.

"My apologies miko," he intoned, that awful smirk still on his face. "How fortunate for you that tonight's dinner is a formal affair; I do know how much you enjoy dressing for such occasions. Perhaps you shall enjoy it to such a degree that you will forget your annoyance."

"Oh no…" Kagome muttered, a look of absolute horror overcoming her facade.

"Lady Kagome!" Taka and Hakuchou cawed in unison, their elegant head peering around the doorframe a moment before their bodies followed.

"I hate you," she mouthed to the evil, horrid demon lord, before putting on a weak smile for her bird friends.

Sesshoumaru simply smirked as they led her away to her doom.

Somewhere, deep in the intricately woven interior of a silver palace in the sky, a young, beautiful miko was being tortured.

The girl looked on in desperation as her tormentors swaddled her in fabric, constricting her lungs, and preventing her escape. She grimaced at their reflections as she watched the whole horrible ordeal in the full length mirror standing so innocently across from her. They didn't notice, ignoring her completely as they turned to her hair, weaving and pulling the stubborn strands into an intricate bun.

Somewhere, deep in the intricately woven interior of a silver palace in the sky, a young, beautiful miko was plotting everyone's murder.

"Aren't we gonna be late for the feast?" Kagome whined hopefully.

Taka gave her a grave stare. "If you must be late, then you must be late. Perfection takes time, Lady Kagome, and once everyone sees you they will know it was worth the wait."

"But I-I'm hungry," she exclaimed. She knew she was just grasping at straws, but god damn she just wanted to get out of here!

Not to mention she was starting to have awful cramps and she really had to pee. She had been stubbornly refusing to use the bathroom since she only had _one _tampon and it had to last as long as it could.

But, trooper that she was, she pushed through it, and when they were done and she was allowed to step up to the mirror and get a good look at herself, she _almost_ had to admit that the torture was worth it.

Her hair had been pulled back from her face and woven into a complex bun that sat snugly at the base of her neck. Two ivory combs inlayed with what looked suspiciously like sapphires held it in place, the crown of the combs just tall enough to peak over the top of her head on either side, and behind her left ear were three perfect white flowers.

Her lips had been painted ruby red, but Kagome had protested enough that they begrudgingly left the rest of her face bare.

The beautiful Kimono she was stuffed into was a deep, midnight blue so dark that it would have appeared black were there not enough light. The garment so tight that she wore nothing underneath save for her underwear, and the sleeves so long and voluminous that they brushed the floor. Her obi was white with black brocade dragonflies dancing along the entire length. It was tied into an impossibly large bow, the ends tickling playfully at the backs of her knees.

She was stunning…and just a little exposed, she decided, eyeing her very obvious cleavage suspiciously. She had always known she was rather...well endowed, but this was ridiculous. Her bird 'friends' were making her into some...sexy sex-goddess, and that was something that Kagome most definitely was not.

"Uh, hey guys, don't you think that maybe this Kimono is a little...small? I mean, I should find one that...closes all the way...you know, in the front." The priestess tried tugging the front closed, but to no avail.

"Stop that," Hakuchou warned, giving her a slap on the hand and grabbing hold of her shoulders as she began pushing the miko out of the door. "You look absolutely _tiny _in this, and besides, there is no time to change."

"No, no time at all," Taka agreed, looping her arm under Kagome's and dragging her forward as Hakuchou continued to push from behind. "You are very late, Lady Kagome, we must hurry."

The miko sighed and let them guide her through the halls with an attitude of tired resignation. Tonight was going to be a long night.

When Kagome was ushered into the room, her overzealous servants announcing the 'elegant and gracious, Lady Kagome's' arrival, the whole room could not help but to stop and stare.

She was beautiful, entrancing really, a vision that put even the most beautiful and prestigious demonesses to shame ⎯ and that was saying something since demonesses were notoriously beautiful and infamously vain.

Izanagi, Miroku, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru simply stared, while Sango was overcome by a jealous sort of awe. The only two immune to her were a kit and a cat.

"Kagome, you sure look nice," Shippou said bluntly. "You better come sit by me, they're gonna bring out the food soon!"

Kirara mewed eagerly.

Grateful for the distraction, the miko quickly took her place beside the fox and rubbed behind his ear affectionately. "Good, because I'm hungry, how about you, Shippou?"

"Keh, he's always hungry," Inuyasha scoffed, his trance apparently broken. He sent the kit a glare that had nothing to do with Shippou being hungry and everything to do with where Kagome was sitting.

"Like you should talk, Inuyasha," she scolded, a playful grin on her red lips. The hanyou nervously glanced at her and then averted his eyes to his lap, a blush on his cheeks.

_Oh dear kami, they're just boobs, everyone! _She grumbled to herself, tactfully resting her hand on her chin so that her arm covered most of her cleavage.

"Well, um," Izanagi cleared his throat. "Now that we are all here, let the feast begin!"

And with that a score of servants appeared, silver platters in each of their hands. They flitted about, depositing a bowl of steaming soup in front of everyone, which they all sipped with the utmost vigor. Well, all except Sesshoumaru, who ⎯ Kagome remembered ⎯ did not eat human food.

As well as eating, it seemed as though the taiyoukai did not have to dress up either. Apart from Sango and Miroku who wore new, expensive looking, yet plain, kimonos, everyone else seemed to be in their usual attire. So, it was all some conspiracy was it? Some plot to get the pretty, little miko into something worth a whistle, or two?

_Two can play at that game_, Kagome thought, narrowing her eyes at Izanagi as she barely avoided tipping her spoonful of soup down her front instead of down her throat. She knew this was his doing.

"Oh, Izanagi-sama, I have to thank you for this kimono," she said earnestly, folding her hands in her lap and squeezing her arms together, strategically accentuating her bosom.

His eyes boggled, it was so...typical.

"Um, yes," he said, suddenly taking a great interest in his bowl of soup. "Just something I had, you know, laying around."

Kagome smirked. "Oh, well, I'm glad you didn't go through any trouble then."

"No, no trouble at all," he smiled at her, which immediately brought his attention back to the very thing he had been avoiding...which brought his attention back to his soup.

_She is evil, _he told it. _She is the most evil, vile, erotic...NO! Not that! She's awful._

And thus the night proceeded in much the same way. More food was presented, more conversation was had, and somehow Izanagi always ended up talking to his food. In fact the only one who did not contribute in any way, shape, or form, was Sesshoumaru.

He simply sat there, still as a statue, staring fixedly at a point just above Kagome's head. He did not eat, did not move when the servants took away his untouched food and replaced it with the next dish, which would surely be as untouched as the one before it. He didn't even argue with his half-sibling, who had been periodically throwing the demon lord the dirtiest looks anyone had ever given anybody. He just sat there. Not blinking, not _breathing, _because he was much too busy.

Much too busy thinking about Kagome. Ever since he had come to the realization that it was his intention to pursue her, which had admittedly only been a few hours ago, he had been finding it a lot harder to ignore some of her more...feminine attributes.

The sway of her hips, the swell of her breasts, the softness of her skin and lips...

It was one thing to admire a fine sword being forged, yet quite another to decide to purchase it as your own. For when you did that, you would most certainly wish to wield it. Immediately. With all due haste.

And the way his miko looked, made him want to wield something much less sharp than a sword, yet just as impressive.

_She will be mine, _he promised himself. He would not let his foul brother have her ⎯ Inuyasha did not deserve her.

And so he planned away the evening, waiting patiently for Kagome to stop shoveling sugary treats into the kits eager mouth and for them to be excused.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru's voice was finally heard as Izanagi announced the end of a wonderful night and sent them off to bed.

Kagome turned towards him, a smile on her face. "Ah, so it lives. I thought you had gone brain-dead or something."

_No, just struck dumb, _his mind supplied. "Miko, there is something I must discuss with you."

"Oh...now? Can't it wait until we get back to your room?" She asked, yawning.

"No."

At their words Inuyasha's ears twitched and a scowl overcame his handsome face. "I told you to stay away from her, asshole," he growled, stepping between his brother and his Kagome.

Sesshoumaru did not growl, but the look he gave Inuyasha was enough to set him aflame. "Do as you wish, hanyou, and this Sesshoumaru shall do as I wish."

His ears flattening, the boy reached for his weapon.

"No," Kagome warned, her small hand grabbing his wrist and preventing him from reaching the sword's hilt. "Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru is my friend, just like you, and that means that you can't fight each other or I will be very upset. Got it?"

Inuyasha huffed, pulling his hand free of her grasp. "Keh."

Satisfied that any epic, life-threatening battles had been avoided, Kagome smiled. "So, what did you wanna talk about?" She asked the taiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth, his words had been chosen carefully, an oath of loyalty and protection should she accept him, yet they would not come. "You look pretty."

The demon blinked dazedly at the words he had just spoken.

"Oh...well, thanks," she said, giving him a funny look. Inuyasha scoffed beside her.

"I...it pleases me," he offered, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief as he spoke. _Why am I babbling like an imbecile?_

"Uh...okay." The miko raised a brow at him and nodded impatiently.

Taking a deep breath to collect himself, the stoic demon-lord ignored his half-brother's mocking chuckle and urged himself to find the words that he wanted.

"Kagome Higurashi, I, Sesshoumaru, pray that you will find me worthy of your attention. You are my woman of choice, and should you wish it so, this Sesshoumaru shall provide for you and protect you, until my heart no longer beats. I will remain at your side and you shall be at mine as my lover and equal. We shall rule the West together, and the West will be stronger for it."

Sesshoumaru finished his speech with a bow, lowering himself to one knee and placing his lips quickly to her wrist, before lowering his head, his hair falling over his shoulders and pooling at her feet.

Kagome stared at him dumbly, her mouth slightly open. "Uh...what?"

_Did Sesshoumaru just say all of that at once...to me? Did he just ask me to marry him...or something? What the hell is going on!_

"What the bastard is trying to say," Inuyasha snarled, his arms crossed and his ears back, "is that he wants to _court _you...whatever the hell that is, and that I gotta say it too or he wins. Keh."

"Um...court?" Kagome repeated dumbly as Sesshoumaru rose, his nostrils flaring in anger.

"Half-breed," he ground out, "you _will_ adhere to tradition. Either announce your intentions or _leave_."

"What?" Kagome squeaked, her panic rising as she watched the two brothers stare each other down. Apparently Sesshoumaru won, because Inuyasha looked away first and the taiyoukai gave him a triumphant 'hn'.

Inuyasha gave Kagome a nervous glance, which he quickly brushed off and replaced with a brilliant blush. "Well, I'm in too. Kagome, I know that I can be a real asshole, but you gotta know that I...well, what you mean to me. Don't pick this bastard, don't leave me."

Kagome's world was upside down and hot pink. The sky was made of cookies and the ground was jello and nothing made sense ⎯ least of all what was happening.

_Am I completely off-base or did the BOTH just tell me they want me. ME. Stupid, silly, clumsy Kagome. Me. A human. Who isn't Kikyo. Who isn't a demon...just me? I need to get this Kimono off, it's obviously driving all the men insane!_

"…court." She repeated like a tape stuck on repeat. Her eyes frantically searched for Sesshoumaru's, begging for answers.

He shifted uncomfortably. "It is a tradition practiced by youkai nobility," he explained carefully, his eyes never leaving hers. "A male chooses a female and she must then choose him. The male is generally expected to prove his suitability to both the female and her family."

Kagome struggled to keep it together. "And...how do they do that?"

"Gifts," he supplied, eager to answer her questions. "Food, clothes, riches. As well as protection, loyalty and…"

"Yes," she urged.

"Unwavering attention."

"Keh, what a load of⎯

"Shhhhh, Inuyasha," she scolded. She needed to know exactly what they were asking her, exactly what all this meant. Blushing, she turned back to Sesshoumaru. "And uh...what happens, you know, after that?"

Sesshoumaru looked away, embarrassment marring his face for the first time since childhood. "Betrothal...or rejection."

"S-so, I have to choose. One of you?" Kagome stuttered, her eyes flashing between the two brothers, her head feeling full and heavy, her heart even more so.

"Or you may reject both of us," the taiyoukai said, his deep voice quiet and cold.

"I…" Kagome breathed, her hand going to her forehead and her heart beating wildly out of control. She stumbled back a few steps until her heels hit the wall. She slumped against it, thankful for its strength when her legs were quickly losing theirs.

"I need to go home. I need to go home!" She panted, her eyes wild and her breaths coming in short, panicked huffs. "I have to go home right now. Please, someone take me home!"

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru gave eachother worried looks before rushing to Kagome's side.

"Where?" was all Sesshoumaru asked as he grasped her hand firmly.

"Bone eater's well!" She breathed.

And in a ball of light Sesshoumaru and Kagome were gone, leaving Inuyasha to punch holes through every wall in sight.

Why were they doing this to her? They were giving putting her in an impossible situation and Inuyasha knew that she would rather die than hurt a single living creature, even if that creature was his abominable half-brother.

But really, this was her fault. She had made them ⎯ the most distant and cold beings in all the world ⎯ make room in their tattered, shriveled hearts just for her, and now she was being punished. There was a price for being loved so intensely, and as she was carried back to her home, Kagome was surely paying it. As Sesshoumaru's light surrounded her, whisking her far, far away, her heart was quickly ripping itself to shreds.

**Chapter Notes:**

_Sometimes little girls just have to panic_

_We're not proud of it, but that's just how it is_

_It's like when you watch 'Titanic'_

_You just have to cry...you didn't? well I did_


End file.
